London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

William and Kate take auto rickshaw to reception

The royal pair make a colourful entrance at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made a colourful entrance as they arrived by auto rickshaw for a special reception hosted by the British High Commissioner to Pakistan in Islamabad.

Kate wore a glittering green dress and William a traditional sherwani suit for the event at the Pakistan Monument.

The royal pair are on a five-day tour of the country.

Earlier, they met schoolchildren and had lunch with Prime Minister and former cricket star Imran Khan.

At the reception, which was arranged to showcase the best of Pakistani culture, the duke recognised the country's troubled past, saying: "For a country so young, Pakistan has endured many hardships, with countless lives lost to terror and hatred.

"Tonight I want to pay tribute to all those who have endured such sacrifice and helped to build the country that we see today."

And he promised Pakistan could rely on Britain as "a key partner and your friend".

Guests at the reception, hosted by the High Commissioner, Thomas Drew, also included figures from Pakistan's business, music and film industries, as well as members of the government.

The couple are the first royals to officially visit the Commonwealth country since the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited the region in 2006.


'Big fans of Diana'

In Pakistan, Prince William is also following in the footsteps of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, who went there on several charity work trips before her death in 1997.

On a visit to the Islamabad Model College for Girls, the couple spoke to children, including 14-year-old Aima, who told him she and her classmates were "big fans" of his mother.

"Oh, that's very sweet of you. I was a big fan of my mother too," the duke said.

"She came here three times. I was very small. This is my first time and it is very nice to be here and meet you all," he added.

The duke and duchess heard how pupils were benefiting from the Teach for Pakistan programme - a fast-track teacher training scheme modelled on the UK's Teach First scheme.

The British High Commission said UK aid in Pakistan had helped more than 5.5m girls receive a quality education since 2011.

Local education officer, Mohammed Sohailkhan, told reporters the quality of education for girls varied across Pakistan.

"I can't paint you an entirely rosy picture," he said. "It does still fluctuate wildly, particularly in rural regions, where there has traditionally been cultural barriers towards this, notably in terms of sending girls away to college. But these barriers are slowly being broken down."

The prince and his wife also visited the Margalla Hills National Park in the foothills of the Himalayas, before travelling to Mr Khan's official residence in Islamabad for a private lunch.

Mr Khan, a former international cricketing star and now PM, was a friend of the prince's mother.

Prince William and Mr Khan reminisced about meeting each other when the duke was a boy at a gathering in Richmond, south-west London, in 1996.

The duke told how everyone laughed at the time, when Mr Khan announced his ambition of becoming prime minister to William and his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

What are William and Catherine doing here in Pakistan? Put simply they are spreading a little royal love around the place.

It's been 13 years since a royal visit. Some of those have been very tough years for Pakistan, a country that Britain has strong and long historical links with. Around one-and-half million British citizens are of Pakistani descent. Part of the visit is about giving the country a royal hug and showing people here that Britain cares.

It's also a way of highlighting joint interests - climate change threatens Pakistan more than most, early years education is one of the duchess's biggest single concerns, and security is a key part of the co-operation between the UK and Pakistan.

And it is a way of selling Pakistan to the world. The duke and duchess will leave the cities and see something of the spare and rugged countryside.

Yes, there's lots of security surrounding the couple. But their travels will also advertise the breathtaking beauty of Pakistan, alongside the bustling cities. It is an opportunity to learn, to encourage and to give something back.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×