The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had an action-packed first full day in Pakistan on Tuesday and concluded their day at a special reception at the iconic Pakistan Monument in the capital of Islamabad to celebrate the music and culture of the country alongside notable people from the nation’s creative arts and business communities.
And, as the future King and Queen of England, the pair definitely know how to make an entrance, arriving to the evening’s event, hosted by the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Thomas Drew, in a brightly painted tuk-tuk.
See their dazzling entrance in the video, above.
Prince William and Kate were visions in green as they arrived by tuk-tuk at the iconic Pakistan Monument in Islamabad for a special reception. (Image: Getty)
And while it’s normal for Duchess Catherine to make headlines with her impeccable fashion and style moments but, taking a break from his usual suit and tie which, don’t get us wrong, are always dapper, for Tuesday’s event he opted for a traditional sherwani in teal by Naushemian, and as The Telegraph reports, makes him the first British royal to do so.
Of course, Kate was as dazzling as ever for the event, also opting for a shade of green – which also happens to be the colour of Pakistan’s flag – wearing a floor-length sequinned gown by Jenny Packham and statement earrings by O’nitaa.
Prince William took a break from his usual suits, opting for a traditional sherwani, which marks a first for a British royal. (Image: Getty)
In a speech at the reception, Prince William spoke about education for girls and climate change – something the couple is placing a large focus on during their tour across Pakistan – and urged Britain and Pakistan to continue to work together, People reports.
“Whether in Pakistan or the UK or elsewhere on our planet – we face shared global challenges.
“The effects of climate change threaten the present and the future – and therefore demand a concerted effort by everyone,” he said.
Prince William spoke about education for girls and climate change and said he and Kate were enjoying the food and hospitality during their time in Pakistan so far. (Image: Getty)
He also mentioned the delicious food and hospitality he and Kate and been enjoying in the country so far – ahead of the tour he’d mentioned during a reception at The Aga Khan Centre in London that he was looking forward to trying all the food, although admitted he wasn’t great with “heat”.
“Catherine and I have been honoured by the hospitality you have shown us, and we have certainly managed to make our way through a record-breaking amount of food so generously offered by our hosts,” he said on Tuesday evening.
“I am struck by the great strides Pakistan has made since its birth seventy-two years ago.
“The view from this hill would have been quite different when my grandmother, The Queen, first visited over half a century ago,” he continued.
“Looking out, one would have seen the beginnings of a city under construction, yet to become the great capital that it is today.
“And with successive visits by my mother and my father, this view has continued to change, with the city constantly growing and with it my family’s affection for Pakistan.”
The evening’s reception wrapped up a busy day for the couple, who touched down in Islamabad late Monday night, where they visited nearby schools and joined school children in activities designed to educate them about the environment, as well as attending official meetings with the President of Pakistan, Arif Alvi, and the country’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan.
Due to the high-security considerations for the tour, one which has been described by Kensington Palace as the “most complex” tour the couple have undertaken, a full outline of the Cambridges’ itinerary was not announced ahead of the tour, instead being announced day by day.
Their tour, the first trip to the Asian nation, wraps up on October 18th, with the couple expressing they would like “this tour to allow them the opportunities to meet as many Pakistanis as possible.”
