Islamabad: Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate arrived in Pakistan Monday on their first official visit to the country that will “pay respect to the historical relationship” between the two nations.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are spending five days in Pakistan, and on Monday night, the couple arrived in the former British colony on a Royal Air Force jet. At around 9:30 p.m. local time, the Cambridges landed at Nur Khan Airbase in Chakala, a Punjab suburb near Islamabad. Kate donned a light-blue bespoke dress by Catherine Walker, while William went more formal in a navy suit.
They were greeted by the country’s foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his wife. Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has plenty of ties to the royal family, was not on hand to greet the couple, but is supposed to meet with them later this week. Khan has known William since he was a child, and Princess Diana visited Khan in the country twice before her death. Khan, a former international cricket star, was educated at Oxford University, and was a good friend to Mark Shand, the late older brother of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Their trip is supposed to last until Friday. Due to security concerns, engagements will not be announced until the day of, but according to a palace statement two weeks ago, they will visit the capital city of Islamabad, Lahore, the western countryside, and the mountainous northern regions to focus on girls’ education, national security, arts and culture, business, and conservation.
