The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Pakistan for a five-day visit to strengthen ties and tackle challenges such as climate change.
The royal couple left Monday night a British Royal Air Force plane at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad.
Kate embraced Pakistani tradition by wearing a shaded Catherine Walker dress that reminded of shalwar kameez, a dress or tunic worn over pants, while Prince William wore a navy blue suit with a tie.Image:
The Duke and Duchess Speak to the Two Young Children Who Gave Flowers After Their Arrival in Nur Khan
The couple, who emerged after an eight-hour flight, was greeted by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Thomas Drew, British High Commissioner, and two children offered bouquets of flowers.
The visit will be the first official visit of William and Kate to Pakistan and their “most complex” visit so far, according to Kensington Palace, referring to political tensions and security concerns in the region.
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More than 1,000 Pakistani police will be deployed to ensure the safety of the Duke and Duchess during their stay.
Their trip, requested by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, comes as tensions between Pakistan and India over the disputed region of Kashmir, which both countries fully claim.
The royals were greeted with flowers on their arrival
William and Kate’s trip will respect the historical relationship between Britain and Pakistan and “will focus primarily on presenting Pakistan as it is today – a dynamic, ambitious and forward-looking nation”, said the Palace.
However, details of the couple’s commitments will be announced the same day for security reasons. The three children of the couple stayed at home.
The visit, which will last until Friday, will cover more than 1,000 km of the country, including Islamabad, the city of Lahore, the mountainous countryside to the north and the border areas to the west.
William hopes to create his own heritage in a country visited by both parents.
Kate’s outfit was reminiscent of Princess Diana’s 1996 visit to Pakistan
The tour comes 13 years after the last official royal visit to Pakistan, when Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visited the country in 2006.
Foreign Minister Qureshi said the Pakistani people still adore Princess Diana, who visited the country in the 1990s to participate in a fundraiser for a hospital for oncologists built by the country’s first president. Minister Imran Khan.
Mr. Khan must meet the royal couple during his visit.