Kensington Palace Announced Kate & William's Royal Tour of Pakistan Will Be the Most Complicated One Yet
Kensington Palace released an official statement about the Cambridges' big royal tour, which begins on October 14 and ends on October 18. The palace confirmed that George, Charlotte and Louis will not be traveling with their parents.
It will be Kate and William's first official visit to the country, and will see them travel to the "modern leafy capital" Islamabad, the "vibrant" city of Lahore, the mountains to the north and the western border region. In total, Kate and William's visit will span over 1000 km to "take in Pakistan’s rich culture, its diverse communities, and its beautiful landscapes."
"This is the most complex tour undertaken by The Duke and Duchess to date, given the logistical and security considerations," the statement reads. Of course, no royal tour is ever simple or straightforward, but considering this is the royal couple's first official visit to the country, and given the recent unrest in the region, it's more complicated than usual.
While few details of exact locations and timing have been given, we do know that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will focus on climate change, women's empowerment, youth access to education (particularly for young women and girls) and security measures taken by the country.
The Cambridges will travel to Pakistan on the Royal Air Force Voyager accompanied by a team of 14 people, including their security detail, their private secretaries, their head of communications, palace assistants and aids, an orderly, a personal hairstylist (think Kate's perfectly bouncy blowout happens all by itself?! Think again!) and program managers.
Phew, it truly does take a village, we guess.
Middleton (wearing the Pakistan flag colors) and Prince William visited the Aga Khan Centre in London on October 2 to prep for their trip and meet with Pakistani spiritual leader His Highness the Aga Khan, as well as business and community leaders from the Islamic republic.
When she arrived, Middleton chatted about their upcoming tour and revealed that she’s already “looking forward” to the delicious Pakistani food she’s going to consume, according to The Daily Mail reporter Rebecca English. Middleton revealed that she enjoys making curry from scratch, and that one child in particular is a big fan of spicy foods. “Charlotte is pretty good with heat,” Middleton revealed.
Fingers crossed they'll bring back some spicy souvenirs for the princess.
