Prince William and Kate are on a week-long trip to India. Official Twitter hashtag #KensingtonRoyal uploaded pictures of their highnesses placing a wreath before the memorial to victims of the 26/11 carnage at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Colaba, Mumbai. “It seems fitting that Catherine and I start our journey from here, a short distance from the place marked by the famous Gateway of India, where so many people, including my great-great-grandfather, have arrived,” Prince William was quoted as saying. Later, the royal couple arrived at Oval Maidan for a game of cricket and dodgeball with children of three NGOs whom they supported at a charity fundraiser at Hotel Taj later in the evening.
When Prince William and Princess Kate got married, William said, she told him the first place she wanted to visit is India.”Two children and five years later, we have finally made it and we are both honored to be here,” he was quoted as saying. Kate’s impeccable sense of fashion draws praise everywhere she travels, and the Indian tour checked all the boxes as well. Her outfits created a buzz on the Twitter hashtag #RoyalVisitIndia from the time the couple stepped out of the airport. Kate arrived wearing a red bodice with Indian paisley motifs and a matching skirt from the design house of Alexander McQueen.
Later in the afternoon, for her visit to Oval Maidan and Banganga, she changed into a pink and blue chiffon dress by city designer Anita Dongre. The evening’s charity engagement at the Taj Ballroom saw her looking resplendent in a royal blue lehnga set off by glittering beads and stones.
Around 4.30pm, the royal couple reached the fabled Banganga tank in Walkeshwar, which is believed to have sprouted when Lord Ram shot an arrow into the ground to quench Sita’s thirst during exile. The Duke and Duchess received a traditional Maharashtrian welcome from lezim dancers from a school in rural Thane. The girls wore nauvari saris while the boys sported orange phetas. Dholkis were beaten to announce their arrival. They bowed their heads and folded their palms in a namaste as they were garlanded and anointed with tika. Afterwards the couple set flowers afloat as an offering into the water. They were greeted by Anaxi Shah, the founder of NGO Smile.
Local MLA Mangalprabhat Lodha had coordinated this visit.
IN PICTURES: Will and Kate tour India. https://t.co/kF9rNR60kq Pic: AP #RoyalVisitIndia pic.twitter.com/0i4gFIKo8V
— The Australian (@australian) April 11, 2016
Flying to Delhi, so a few memories from last night’s Bollywood gala #RoyalVisitIndia pic.twitter.com/kG4T4PQ7Jt
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) April 11, 2016
British royals bat in Mumbai for poor Indian kids https://t.co/bOoY5w5D6I #RoyalVisitIndia pic.twitter.com/1eYDo0ILUR
— Reuters India (@ReutersIndia) April 10, 2016
Kate shows off her sporting skills in a game of cricket with Sachin Tendulkar #RoyalVisitIndia pic.twitter.com/hZVAueVOLN
— Victoria Murphy (@QueenVicMirror) April 10, 2016