How Prince William and Kate Middleton Are Honoring Princess Diana on Their Royal Tour of Pakistan
Prince William and Kate Middleton kicked off their tour of Pakistan this week and one of their missions is to honor the memory of his late mother, Princess Diana. Prince William’s mom visited the region on several occasions and even helped raise funds for a hospital in Pakistan that specializes in cancer treatments. Amid rising security concerns, Prince William and Middleton hope to honor Princess Diana’s work by re-establishing a bond between the two nations and doing some charitable work of their own.
Prince William and Middleton head to Pakistan
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge flew to Pakistan on Monday and will remain in the country until the end of the week. During their stay, the pair will visit the city of Lahore, where Princess Diana did a lot of her work, and the country’s capital, Islamabad.
The royal family has not released their full itinerary in order to keep the couple as safe as possible.
As part of their agenda, Prince William and Middleton plan to raise awareness on key issues facing Pakistan, including education for young women and climate change.
They also hope to show the world that Pakistan has made great strides in recent years and that it is a safe country to visit.
While the two will be making a lot of stops along the way, they are also visiting with the president of Pakistan, Arif Alvi, and the country’s prime minister, Imran Khan.
It is unclear what the leaders will meet about, but Prince William has close ties with Khan and his ex-wife, Jemima Goldsmith, who also worked closely with Princess Diana.
How will Prince William pay tribute to Princess Diana?
Princess Diana did a lot of work in Pakistan in the 1990s. This includes working with Khan to raise funds for a hospital in Lahore.
In the wake of Princess Diana’s tragic death in 1997, Khan and his former wife, Goldsmith, remained close friends with the royal family. In fact, Prince William has known Khan since he was a little boy.
According to Yahoo, Goldsmith now works as a producer and a journalist in the U.K. She and Khan were both at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 and share two sons, Sulaiman and Qasim. They parted ways in 2004.
It is unclear what Prince William and Khan are meeting about, but Princess Diana will likely come up during their conversation. The two leaders will also probably discuss some of Prince William and Middleton’s goals for the tour, which is to raise awareness about education for young women and climate change.
Prince William is also expected to honor his mother’s memory by working with several charities in the region. Princess Diana did a lot of charitable work in the country, some of which Prince William is anticipated to continue.
Middleton to honor Princess Diana’s memory
Prince William will not be the only one honoring his mother’s memory in Pakistan. Middleton is also set to pay tribute to Princess Diana’s legacy during the Pakistan trip – though not in the same way as her spouse.
Fans will be watching intently for what Middleton chooses to wear during her public appearances in Pakistan.
When Princess Diana visited the country in the 1990s, she decided to wear a few traditional outfits out of respect for the country’s culture. This includes donning a shalwar Kameez, which features a loose set of trousers and top.
Middleton has worn a similar look in the past, so it will not be that big of a surprise if she steps out in the traditional garb at some point this week. For example, Middleton wore a headscarf and a flowing dress during a mosque visit in Lumpur in 2012.
There is no telling if Middleton will do the same in Pakistan, but she would be honoring Princess Diana’s memory in a big way if she did.
Prince William and Middleton are scheduled to remain in Pakistan through the end of the week, when they will return home to London and reunite with their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
