William and Kate were in high spirits throughout the day despite their nine-hour flight
from London to Mumbai.
Upon their arrival, they paid tribute to those who died in the 2008
Mumbai terror attacks, and laid a wreath of white flowers at the hotel's
memorial. They included a note on the wreath signed by both William and Kate
which read: "In memory of those who lost their lives and those injured
in the senseless atrocities at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. William,
Catherine."
For their first engagement in Delhi the couple headed to India Gate – a
42m high sandstone structure that is considered the country's main war
memorial – to lay a wreath of marigolds at the memorial to show their
respects to the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives while
fighting for the British Army during WWI.
Following their solemn engagement the Duke and Duchess travelled to
Gandhi Smriti. Literally meaning 'Gandhi memory', the museum is located
in Old Birla House, where Mahatma Gandhi, India's founding father, spent
the last few years of his life. The couple were given a private tour of the museum and shown a giant bronze statue of Gandhi with two children.
William and Kate then retraced Gandhi's final footsteps from his
humble bedroom to the spot in the garden where he was assassinated in
1948. Going barefoot, the Duke and Duchess also saw the prayer hall
where Gandhi used to address his followers.
For the last engagement of day 2, William and Kate stepped out for a
garden party in Delhi to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday. Kate impressed fashion fans yet again with another Indian-inspired
outfit, this time a stylish Alice Temperley crop top and skirt ensemble.
The black and white outfit, titled Delphia, featured opulent
embroidery motifs of Indian Chintz and lattice. The top costs £1,995
while the skirt has a price tag of £1,995.
The couple then had the honour of cutting the Queen's birthday cake,
but not before teasing each other about who would take the sword. William also gave a speech in which he praised his grandmother, and
said that his children Prince George and Princess Charlotte are "lucky"
to have such a "wonderful role model".
"I am incredibly lucky to have my grandmother in my life," he said.
"As she turns 90, she is a remarkably energetic and dedicated guiding
force for her family. "And I am so glad that my children are having the chance to get to
know the Queen. George and Charlotte, too, will discover how lucky they
are to have such a wonderful great-grandmother – a role model for the
rest of their lives."
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge kicked off day 3 of their royal
tour by meeting a group of vulnerable young people in New Delhi. Prince William and Kate learned about the work carried out by charity
Saalam Baalak, which provides care and protection to street and working
children in Delhi and the surrounding areas
The Duchess turned heads with the elegant updo she chose for the occasion.
For their second engagement of the day, William and Kate met the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The elegant royal chose a feminine but modern design in a beautiful
jade green by one of her favourite designers, Alice Temperley, for the
event. She completed her look with a pair of nude heels and her LK
Bennett 'Natalie' straw clutch bag.
The royal couple arrived in Assam on Tuesday afternoon, where they were
given a warm ceremonial welcome and greeted with bouquets of flowers.
Many fans had been wondering who had designed Kate's latest dress and the mystery was finally solved later in the day! The long-sleeved floral-printed maxi dress in question is from budget brand Glamorous and costs £50.
William and Kate had the chance to relax and settle down around a
campfire, where they chatted and mingled with locals. They were treated
to dance and musical performances – a colourful and very fun
introduction to rural life. As their visit coincides with the Bohag Bihu harvest festival, which
marks the beginning of Assamese New Year, the royals were also given an
insight into how the locals celebrate.
The couple were particularly impressed by the dancing of a
three-year-old boy and sought him out to meet him after the performance.
"You were very energetic," William told the youngster, before adding:
"He knows his dancing very well."
It was an early start for the royal couple on day four of their royal
tour, as they headed off on safari at Karizanga National Park.
The park is a World Heritage Site and a wildlife conservation area of
global importance, home to elephants, water buffalo, the endangered
swamp deer, tigers, and two-thirds of the world population of Indian
one-horned rhinoceroses.
The couple enjoyed an open-air Jeep ride around the National Park,
where they caught sight of rhinos and baby elephants. The final 30
minutes of the trip offered some private time for William and Kate, as
they were left to finish their journey without the media and just a few
protection officers.
Then Kate - a keen and talented photographer - decided to take out her Canon DSLR camera to capture some of her own photos.
The Duchess admitted to missing Prince George and Princess Charlotte
during the couple's visit to Panbari village, which sits on the border
of Kaziranga National Park. While talking to the village elders, William
and Kate joked that George was "too naughty" to join them on their
royal tour, but promised to bring along their children on their next
visit to India.
Kate once again championed the British high street for her visit to the
village, wearing a Topshop midi dress and Accessorize earrings.
On their next engagement of the day, the couple visited the Centre
for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, where they had the
opportunity to feed baby elephants and rhinos. Vernon Menon, chief executive officer of the Wildlife Trust of India,
said the couple were "thrilled" at the opportunity to get so close to
the animals.
"They were absolutely thrilled and loved being with the animals," he
said. "The Duchess loved the baby rhino particularly. The Duke said if
he could he would have spent the whole day there."
