Prince William, Kate Middleton win hearts in India: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge dubbed WillKat [PHOTOS]
“WillKat” has dominated Indian media. Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, won over the Indian people’s hearts as the British royal couple toured the South Asian nation for a seven-day visit.
The parents of two, who left Prince George and Princess Charlotte in the UK, arrived in India on Sunday and stayed at the Taj Mahal Palace. William and Kate, shortly after landing in the country, paid respect to the 31 people killed in the horrific attack by the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai in 2008. They laid a wreath at the memorial site at the palace hotel to honour the victims.
“In memory of those who lost their lives and those injured in the senseless atrocities at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. William, Catherine,” the wreath’s message reads.
The Duchess wore a beautifully patterned paisley red dress by English label Alexander McQueen. The knee-length dress was a creative fusion of English and Indian fashion.
William and Kate then met with cricket legends Sachin Tendukar and Dilip Vengsarkar and as well as the children from nearby slums, at the Oval Maidan recreational ground. Kate wore a colourful long patterned dress designed by Anita Dongre of India, pairing it with a pair of wedge shoes – Kate’s signature footwear style – which abled her to run and play with the children.
The couple, dubbed WillKat by the Indian media, also visited the historic Banganga Water Tank in Mumbai, where they received traditional welcome and offered floating flower offerings.
On the same night, the smiling royalties met with Bollywood stars that included Anil Kapoor, Shilpa Rathnam, Shah Rukh and Aishwarya Rai at a fundraising dinner, hoping to raise a six-figure sum for three Indian charities. Kate wore an elegant floor-length Jenny Packham blue dress, which was apparently beaded in India. She paired the stunning gown with earring from Indian jeweller Amrapali, according to Vanity Fair.
William and Catherine’s Indian and Bhutan trip will conclude on April 16.