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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Abigail O'Leary

Kate Middleton wears classic blue kurta for schools visit on Pakistan tour

Kate Middleton and Prince William have begun their first full day of their Pakistan royal tour with a visit to an Islamabad school.

The Duchess wore a classic blue kurta at the start of the jam-packed day of engagements - which will first see them chat with children benefiting from new education schemes in the country.

This morning the met students from preschool age to sixth form at the college, which educates girls between the ages of 4 and 18 under the Teach for Pakistan programme - a training scheme modelled on the UK's Teach First scheme.

The British High Commission said UK aid in Pakistan has helped more than 5.5 million girls get a quality education since 2011.

Continuing with the theme of education, the duke and duchess then joined children from three local schools at the Margalla Hills, which sit in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Here they will learn about Pakistan's work to meet several of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The couple will then travel to the Presidential Palace for an official engagement with President Arif Alvi, before meeting with Mr Khan at his official residence in Islamabad.

Kate giggles with schoolchildren at a school visit in Islamabad this morning (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
Kate giggled as she and William begin their first day of royal engagements (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Former international cricketing star Mr Khan was a friend of William's mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

Diana visited a cancer hospital in Lahore as a guest of Mr Khan and his then wife, Jemima Goldsmith, in May 1997 - just three months before she died.

Following a private lunch with Mr Khan, the couple will attend a special reception hosted by the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, where the duke is expected to make a speech.

In his address, William is expected to say that the UK will continue to support the Commonwealth country as a "key partner and friend" during a visit which hopes to strengthen ties between the two nations.

Kate giggles as she chats to the schoolboy (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
(Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

"We share unique bonds and so it will always be in our best interests for Pakistan to succeed," the duke is expected to say.

"You can always rely on the UK to keep playing an important role as a key partner and friend."

William and Kate will have the opportunity to meet with well-known individuals from business, the creative arts, the Pakistan music and film industry, and members of government at the reception.

The five-day visit, at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, will be their "most complex" tour to date, according to Kensington Palace, due to security concerns and political tensions in the region.

Details of engagements are being released each day due to security concerns, the palace added.

The tour comes amid heightened political tensions between neighbouring countries Pakistan and India over the disputed region of Kashmir.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for a visit to the Margalla Hills on the second engagement of the day (PA)
Kate and William are greeted as they arrive at the Margalla Hills (PA)

Kate and William's communications secretary said: "This is the most complex tour undertaken by the duke and duchess to date, given the logistical and security considerations."

A huge security operation involving 1,000 police officers will also be on hand during the five day trip.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters: "This is a goodwill visit, and they want to promote good relations between Pakistan, England and our new generation."

Skirmishes between the two sides at the de-facto border have increased this year, causing troop and civilian casualties.

The tour, which wraps up on Friday, hopes to strengthen the relationship between the UK and Pakistan.

With Brexit looming, London is aiming to consolidate its international relationships with the visit, while Islamabad is keen to promote itself as a tourist destination amid concerns over security.

Kate and William pictured with a group of youngsters from the school (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
William and Kate arrive at the school (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

William and Kate are the first royals to officially visit the Commonwealth country since the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited the region in 2006 - which was seen as the most perilous royal tour for some time.

The duke will be hoping to create his own legacy in a country previously visited by both of his parents, as his mother made the trip several times for her charity work.

William and Kate, 37, have left their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, behind for this visit.

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