Inside Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Exotic Royal Tour
Kate Middleton and Prince William are embarking on a whirlwind tour of India and Bhutan this spring, Kensington Palace confirmed Friday morning, detailing their itinerary for the first time.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will arrive in India on Sunday, April 10, then travel to Bhutan, a small country in the Himalayas between China and India, on April 14 before returning to India on April 16 for a tour of the Taj Mahal. It is the first time they have traveled to either country.
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They are expected to leave Prince George and Princess Charlotte back at home — but that doesn’t mean their entire trip will be kid-free. In Bhutan, they’ll meet with Dragon King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his wife, Queen Jetsun Pema, who welcomed their first baby, a boy, earlier this month. The Dragon King and his wife have been nicknamed the “William and Kate of the Himalayas.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. in September 2012. (Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
“The Duke and Duchess are very much looking forward to their tours of India and Bhutan,” a Kensington Palace spokesperson told Yahoo Beauty in a statement. “Their visit to India will be an introduction to a country that they plan to build an enduring relationship with. They will pay tribute to India’s proud history, but also are keen to understand the hopes and aspirations of young Indian people and the major role they will play in shaping the 21st century.
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“Their visit to Bhutan will allow them to continue a relationship between two Royal Families by meeting The King and Queen. The Duke and Duchess have heard many wonderful things about the country and are grateful to have this opportunity to get to know the Bhutanese people.
“This tour, coming shortly before The Queen’s 90th birthday, will also allow The Duke and Duchess to pay tribute to Her Majesty’s huge contribution to diplomacy in Britain and the Commonwealth.”
The photo of a lonely Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal released months before news of her separation from Prince Charles. (Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images)
In India, they’ll spend one night in Mumbai, another night in New Delhi, a night in Kaziranga, and then the day in Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, “allowing them the chance to thank the people of India for their hospitality by visiting their most iconic landmark.” As People notes, Prince William’s late mother, Princess Diana, visited the Taj Mahal alone 24 years ago and posed for an iconic photo as a lonely figure in front of a giant landmark. Months later, she and Prince Charles announced their separation.
Kate Middleton and Prince William will also spend one night in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.
Prince William holds Prince George of Cambridge as his mom gives him a toy in Sydney in 2014. (Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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In India, they plan to “see a variety of aspects of contemporary Indian life, focusing on young people, sport, entrepreneurship, Indian efforts to relieve urban poverty, the creative arts, and rural life. Their Royal Highnesses will begin their visit in the creative and business hub of Mumbai. They will then travel to the capital New Delhi, which is the seat of history and politics in the world’s largest democracy. In Kaziranga National Park, The Duke and Duchess will experience the rich variety of wildlife and also pay tribute to the rural traditions of the communities who live around the park,” the palace spokesperson confirmed in a press release.
The royal couple meet a koala in Australia in 2014. (Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“In Bhutan, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very much looking forward to meeting Their Majesties The King and Queen of Bhutan, and continuing the relationship between their two families. They will also have the opportunity to learn more about the heritage and culture of this beautiful mountain kingdom and its people.”
This isn’t the couple’s first tour abroad on behalf of the palace. They visited Canada in 2011 shortly after getting married. In 2012, they toured Singapore, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Malaysia. Prince George accompanied his parents to Australia and New Zealand in 2014 but stayed home when the royal couple visited New York and Washington, D.C., where they met with President Obama.
(Top photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
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