Kate follows in Princess Diana’s footsteps as she meets Imran Khan on royal tour Pakistan
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton began their first official Pakistan royal tour on Tuesday with education, conservation, and official engagements.
The British royal couple kicked off their tour with a visit to Islamabad Model School for Girls in Quaid-i-Azam University Colony.
Wearing a royal blue traditional kurta and trouser, Kate sat with children in a classroom, as Prince William shook hands with a teacher. They interacted with students and teachers in various classes, and were briefed on a teaching fellowship program run by Teach for Pakistan, a partner of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).
Visit to Margalla Hills National Park
The couple’s next engagement was at Trail 5 of Margalla Hills to take part in a number of activities including joining students from four local schools to set up a leopard camera trap and nature walks and activities. They also met, Anis Rahman, chairman of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board at the Margallah Hills National Park, who told them the board is focusing on environmental awareness through education. “We are protecting the park for them. That’s the next generation.”
Prince William, Kate Middleton meet President Arif Alvi
Later, the royal couple met Pakistan President Arif Alvi and First Lady Samina Alvi at the Presidential Palace in Islamabad. For the formal occasion, Kate opted for white trousers by Pakistani designer Maheen Khan paired with a bright green tunic by Catherine Walker, one of Diana’s favourite designers.
Duke and Duchess meet Imran Khan, Pakistan’s PM and friend of Diana
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday at the PM House where lunch was hosted in honour of the guests.
The royal couple had a cordial meeting with the former cricket star, who Prince William has known since childhood. Khan and his former wife, Jemima Goldsmith, were close friends of William’s mother, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who visited Pakistan several times. Princess Diana, was a friend of the prime minister and visited Pakistan twice — 1996 and 1997 — to help raise awareness and funds for the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.
William and Kate are the first royals to officially visit the Commonwealth country since the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited the region in 2006. The tour, which wraps up on Friday, hopes to strengthen the relationship between the UK and Pakistan and “will largely focus on showcasing Pakistan as it is today – a dynamic, aspirational and forward-looking nation.”