It’s one of the most iconic photos of the Middleton family, which was released in 2011 to celebrate Kate Middleton’s engagement to Prince William, and it shows a four-year-old Kate and Pippa Middleton with their father Michael posing on the Roman ruins in Jerash, Jordan.
And on Monday, Prince William retraced his wife’s steps by visiting the same historical site nearly 30 years later.
The full circle moment didn’t go past the father-of-three, who was reminded of his wife’s time in the country by walking past a blown-up photo of Kate’s childhood picture.
He then climbed onto the rock to recreate the photo, before remarking: “Need to come back with the family for this shot.”
He also poked fun of his father-in-law and quipped: “Michael’s looking very smart in his flip-flops.”
“He was very surprised when he saw the photo. He did not expect that,” Director of Museums at Jordan’s Department of Antiquities Samia Khouri said.
“But that’s why he was here, because he wanted to take a photo at the same spot where Kate was photographed.”
The Middleton clan uprooted from their Berkshire base in England for Amman, Jordan between 1984-1987 when Michael Middleton worked as a flight dispatcher for British Airways.
As Duchess Catherine is still on maternity leave after welcoming Prince Louis on April 23rd, she is unable to join Prince William on his five-day royal tour of the Middle East.
“My wife Catherine is very sorry she cannot be here with me so soon after the birth of our son Louis, but her family remembers very fondly the almost three years she spent here as a child when her father worked for British Airways in Amman,” Prince William explained of his wife’s absence.
“She loved it here, she really did. She is very upset that I am coming here without her,” he added.
Despite his hectic schedule, the royal still found time to watch England play Panama in the 2018 FIFA World Cup over the weekend.
After a day of royal engagements and lengths to avoid the score, the avid football fan was able to sit down and watch the game, which resulted in an 6-1 win to England, after he revealed he’d asked the Crown Prince of Jordan to record it for him.
In photographs shared by Kensington Palace to their official Instagram account, Wills is pictured relaxing on a sofa alongside Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, enjoying a replay of the game.
“Prince William couldn’t watch the @England match live and avoided finding out the score all afternoon. He sat down with Crown Prince @alhusseinjo to watch a rerun after dinner at the Beit Al Urdun Palace. Well done the #ThreeLions!”