Tuesday 15 October 2019

The Cambridges Visit The Mountainous Region of Chitral

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travelled to the mountainous region of Chitral for the third day of their official visit to Pakistan. The visit focused on climate change and meeting as many people as possible. Kensington Palace told reporters to expect "a colourful and fun introduction to rural life", adding the couple "hope to shine a light on the very real consequences of global warming and its devastating effects on our planet."


Upon arrival at Chitral airport, the Hindu Khush, near the Afghan border, they were warmly greeted with traditional Chitrali hats, a coat and embroidered shawl. Rebecca English reports Kate said "It's amazing - all that embroidery".


They were retracing Diana's footsteps - something hosts had considered - presenting the Duke and Duchess with a book of photos from her visit to the region during her 1991 solo tour of the country. William looked through the pages and joked "The same hat". Kate added she thought it was "very special".

Embed from Getty Images

It is the cap of the Chitral Scouts regiment of the Pakistan army. It's normally only worn by men, but exceptions are made for special guests in the country.


More from Hello!

'The mountainous province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been plagued by militant activity in recent years and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to some areas and all but essential travel to other parts around Chitral.'

From there, William and Kate walked on the northern tip of the Chiatibo Glacier in Broghil National Park.


It was an opportunity to see a melting glacier first-hand and the alarming effects of climate change.


The Telegraph reports:

'The Duke said communities “vulnerable to change” needed “more education, more awareness and political action”. “The young are starting to get engaged in it,” he said, adding that a “positive conversation” around climate change was required.
His background in geography, which he studied at the University of St Andrews , was also mentioned during the engagement with expert Dr Furrukh Bashir, as his wife teased him about his knowledge. 
The Duke said: “Dr Warren, my geography teacher, would be well impressed that I’m back at a glacier after all these years.” “I’ve been very impressed by William’s geography,” Kate replied.'

CNN reports:"Climate change is eating away Himalayan glaciers at a dramatic rate, a new study has revealed. Spanning 2,000 kilometers and harboring some 600 billion tons of ice, Himalayan glaciers supply around 800 million people with water for irrigation, hydropower and drinking. But they have been losing almost half a meter of ice each year since the start of this century - double the amount of melting that occurred between 1975 and 2000 - according to the Columbia University researchers behind the study."


What effect is it having on the ground? A profound one. Researchers say the glaciers are losing 8 billion tons of water a year - the equivalent of 3.2 million swimming pools every day. As the ice melts, it forms glacial lakes which can cause devastating floods.


With this in mind, the next engagement saw William and Kate visit Bumburet village which has been severely impacted by flash flooding.


They met people who lost their homes and farmlands during a particularly heavy spell in 2015. Often times, climate change is discussed as an issue for tomorrow. The reality is very much the opposite. The difficulty experienced in the area William and Kate visited is a mere glimpse into issues people all over the world are experiencing today.


They met a local Emergency Response team and watched them undertake a drill.


More from The Belfast Telegraph:

'The couple spoke with 28-year-old Diana – a young woman from the area who was named after William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales. Through a translator, it was explained after the duke and duchess had left that Diana’s grandmother travelled to Chitral to meet the princess during her visit in 1991.
“Princess Diana was visiting at around the time she was born, which is why she got named Diana,” the translator said. “And now her son is William. “Her grandmother went to meet Princess Diana in Chitral, her mum was unable to travel because she was expecting her.'

William told members of the media "We have seen around the world now, the young are getting very engaged with what's going on, I think it's fantastic we can come together and have a really good conversation about what we need to do and action needs to happen."


Their final engagement in Chitral took them to another village to learn about the Kalash people's traditions and heritage.


They were given traditional headwear.


It was a beautiful, vibrant welcome.


Reporter Chris Ship joined the couple. "The Kalash people are a non-Muslim minority population. In fact, their religion pre-dates Islam. They are culturally and ethnically distinct, descendants of Indo-Aryan tribes."


Chris Ship added: "The villagers are some of the nicest people you could meet".


Kate learned a few words in Kalasha.




Kate brought something special from home. More from People:

'The couple visited a village in the Chitral district on Wednesday, where Kate was spotted carrying her own camera. Kate has previously dubbed herself an “enthusiastic amateur photographer,” with her favorite subjects being her three children: Prince George, 6, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 1. From birthday portraits to first day of school photos, Kate has been documenting all of her family’s big moments for years.'

Below, a segment of a very insightful article on the Kalash way of life and challenges ahead from Kohi Marri:

'The Kalash have withstood much persecution through the ages. At one point, they feared total annihilation at the hands of other communities, so they abandoned their villages and moved into caves for an unspecified period of time.
Weather has been their other big enemy. Winter is unforgiving in the high mountainous valleys of Chitral. The cold is worsened by incessant rain and landslides that force everyone indoors for months.
Tough physical conditions are only a part of the problems that local residents face. Healthcare facilities are non-existent and children walk on foot for many kilometres to attend school. They mostly survive on subsistence farming and livestock-rearing, but the two activities suffered a severe jolt due to heavy floods in 2010. The impact of the disaster is still visible in the shape of destroyed irrigation facilities and smashed bridges across streams.
Hussian says he has seen his valley change over the years. Roads, admittedly narrow and often dilapidated, have linked the Kalash region with the rest of Chitral and nearby districts of Dir, and then onwards to Peshawar and Islamabad. The availability of motor transport has allowed the Kalash to move to big cities, both for education and work. Their numbers in their own land, therefore, have been dwindling rapidly — from 50,000 or so back in the 1990s to around 4,100 now.'

A video from the visit.


My favourite photo from the day. It was a delight to see so many elements of Chitral.


The Duchess sported several separates including familiar pieces. Kate teamed a dark brown shirt with a tan midi-length skirt and a traditional scarf.


Following a great deal of investigative work, Bojana discovered Kate actually wore the chocolate Mint Velvet Utility dress. It's possible the piece has been altered to shirt length.


Kate wore her Really Wild Nubuck waistcoat, she's had the piece in her closet for several years.


And her Really Wild Seville boots.


The Duchess accessorised with Missoma Gold Zenyu earrings (with thanks to Emily). They retail for £115.

I don't know if William and Kate have an engagement tonight, if not, we'll see the couple in Lahore for a day of appearances tomorrow.
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Duchess Kate in Glittering Green Jenny Packham Gown for Pakistan Monument Reception

A glittering evening reception at the iconic Pakistan Monument in Islamabad completed the second day of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's official visit to the country.


I'm sure many of you were interested to know if the tour would include a black-tie event. When the schedule was released this morning, reporters described the dress code as "glamorous". I knew we could expect sartorial delights for the event and the Duchess Duke didn't disappoint. That's right, William got the memo and surprised us all, stepping out in a traditional sherwani by Naushemian. We've seen an abundance of sartorial diplomacy from Kate; perhaps she suggested William demonstrate a fashionable tribute :)


The Duchess didn't scrub up too badly either :)


A stylish entrance by the couple as they arrived in a traditional rickshaw.


The day saw the Duke and Duchess visit Model College for girls, where they learned about a programme attracting teachers to tackle the alarming number of girls leaving school. From there, they joined in nature activities at the scenic Magalla Hills. In the afternoon, William and Kate met with President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi at the Presidential Palace and joined Prime Minister Imran Khan for lunch.


The Pakistan Monument provided a stunning backdrop for the event. Located on the western Shakarparian Hills, it was built to symbolize the unity of Pakistan's people. It's dedicated "to those who sacrificed their today for a better tomorrow".


The monument arches.


ITV's Lizzie Robinson noted the monument is based on a lotus flower with each petal representing a different province of Pakistan. Below, a closer look at the scene tonight.


Hosted by the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Thomas Drew, the event celebrated the UK's links with the country. Guests included well-known faces from arts, music, culture, influential figures and members of government.


In a detailed speech, William praised the relationship between the United Kingdom and Pakistan: "We share unique bonds and so it will always be in our best interests for Pakistan to succeed. Not least because of the 1.5 million people living in the UK with Pakistani origin and the fact that the UK is one of the biggest investors in Pakistan's economy. You can always rely on the UK to keep playing an important role as a key partner and friend." William also paid tribute to Pakistan's "unbelievably diverse geography that spans deserts to glaciers and everything in between".


William's speech in full:

'Ladies and gentlemen, it is our great pleasure to join you here this evening on our first official visit to Pakistan. Already, Catherine and I have been honoured by the hospitality you have shown us, and we have certainly managed to make our way through a record breaking amount of food so generously offered by our hosts.
I would like to begin by saying bahut shukriya to you all for making us so welcome in your country. Stood here with this magnificent monument behind me, I am struck by the great strides Pakistan has made since its birth seventy-two years ago.
The view from this hill would have been quite different when my grandmother, The Queen, first visited over half a century ago. Looking out, one would have seen the beginnings of a city under construction, yet to become the great capital that it is today.
And with successive visits by my mother and my father, this view has continued to change, with the city constantly growing and with it my family's affection for Pakistan.
This is the world's sixth largest country by population. It has an unbelievably diverse geography that spans deserts to glaciers and everything in between. It is the birth place of the youngest ever Nobel peace prize winner. And I am told that it hosts not just the second highest mountain in the world, but also its highest cash machine!
It is also home to one of the youngest populations in the world, with an average age of just 24 – almost half that of the UK.
In a public school not far from where we gather this evening, Catherine and I saw young children learning and playing, aided by an inspiring teacher, trained through the Teach for Pakistan programme. We spoke with ambitious young women finishing their schooling and planning for university and work. As Muhammed Ali Jinnah said, 'No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men'.
It was good to hear from President Alvi and Prime Minster Khan, earlier today that education will continue to be an important priority for Pakistan. We also saw the brilliant work taking place in the Margalla Hills, where young children were being taught the importance of protecting and caring for the world around them.
The education of Pakistan's next generation will be the key that turns the country's growing population into an engine of growth and helps unlock this country's enormous potential. A rapidly growing population presents you with an enormous opportunity, but also significant challenge.
The UK and Pakistan share unique bonds and so it will always be in our best interests for you to succeed. Not least because of the 1.5 million people living in the UK with Pakistani origin and the fact that the UK is one of the biggest investors in your economy.
You can rely on us to keep playing an important role as a key partner and your friend. Delivering a future where Pakistan's great potential can be realised will not be easy or without sacrifice. 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.
Whether in Pakistan or the UK or elsewhere on our planet, we face shared global challenges. The effects of climate change threaten the present and the future, and therefore demand a concerted effort by everyone.
In Pakistan, your spectacular glaciers – and those of the wider Hindu Kush-Himalaya region – serve as a critical water store for a quarter of a billion people; and over 1.6 billion people rely on the great rivers that flow from the mountains in this part of the world.
Yet, because the effects of global warming at altitude, a one and a half degree Celsius temperature increase overall could mean warming of over two degrees Celsius for northern Pakistan's highest mountains. This could lead to a loss of over a third of these vital glaciers in less than a century, with enormous impacts not only on the availability of water, but on agriculture and hydropower generation.
Tomorrow we will be seeing some of these impacts first hand and meeting some of the communities adjusting to the new realities and new challenges that climate change has brought to their towns and villages. I hope to learn what more we all can do to help prevent and mitigate this impending global catastrophe.
Ladies and gentlemen, given the scale and complexities of the challenges that future generations will face, it is clear that we all need to work together. And whether it's this generation or the next, I know that the UK and Pakistan will continue to exemplify the very best in international cooperation.
Yes, the challenges ahead are great. But we cannot be daunted, nor distracted. Instead we should draw strength from our shared bonds and heed the words of Muhammed Ali Jinnah as we do so, 'My message to you all' he said 'is of hope, courage, and confidence'. 

When it comes to the Queen of Evening Wear in Kate's rotation of favoured designers, the crown always goes to Jenny Packham in my opinion. Tonight the British designer outdid herself, creating a sparkling emerald gown with long scarf detail in reference to the traditional Dupatta. It commands attention - literally shimmering in every photo.


Katie noted the gown appears to be a custom version of the Georgia style. The £3,640 sequin dress is from the Autumn/Winter 2019 Collection and described as: "Fitted with a tailored waistline which is further accentuated with a row of crystals, the utterly feminine design is dripping in head-to-toe sequins, delivering an audacious amount of unapologetic glamour."


For a red carpet Bollywood gala during the 2016 India tour, Packham created a show-stopping sapphire blue piece with intricate beading. The look remains a tour favourite and I suspect tonight's look will join that category.


Kate teamed the dress with a pair of Jimmy Choo Mimi Sandals (with thanks to Innominate93). The £575 wrap around shoes are described: "The intertwined ankle strap twists twice around the foot to create the illusion of volume and then meets in a delicate metal buckle fastening."


The UFO No More team discovered Kate's statement earrings were custom made in Pakistan by Chelsea-based boutique O'nitaa London. They have been a leading player in the south Asian luxury couture industry for a decade.


O'nitaa stock Maheen Khan designs and it turns out Kate's team discovered her work through the store. More from Harper's Bazaar:

'Khan also spoke out about being chosen by the duchess. She revealed that the royal's style team first spotted her designs at O'nitaa in London. "They are a very savvy team of young stylists and they picked up some clothes to show them to the Duchess and then, reached out to me,"

Meanwhile, once the reporters returned to their hotel, guests had one fashion moment on their mind...




If you missed today's engagements in Islamabad, please click here to catch up.


Once again, we won't know William and Kate's itinerary until tomorrow morning, however I understand they are visiting Lahore. What do you think of day two?
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Monday 14 October 2019

The Duchess in Traditional Maheen Khan & Catherine Walker Looks For Islamabad Engagements

For day two of their tour of Pakistan, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge carried out several engagements in the capital city of Islamabad beginning with a visit to Model College for girls.


William and Kate landed in the country last night with their staff and members of the press in the British Government's Royal Air Force Voyager. Aides told reporters they timed their departure to do the school run with George and Charlotte before leaving. Their return home on Friday has been scheduled to ensure they will be back to spend the weekend with the children.


Due to security reasons, today's itinerary was shared just before William and Kate's engagements began this morning. Following their visit to Model College, it's a nature based engagement with schoolchildren in Margalla Hills. Also on the itinerary: a meeting with the President and lunch with the Prime Minister. This afternoon, the couple will meet staff members from the British High Commission and the day will draw to a close with a glittering evening reception at the Pakistan Monument.


Model College was established over forty years ago. The government run school supports students from the ages of 4 to 18.


William and Kate learned about the benefits of the 'Teach For Pakistan' programme which recruits young graduates and professionals for a two-year Fellowship to teach in schools with a lack of qualified educators. 49% of girls are out of school in Pakistan, it's one of several initiatives in place to tackle the issue.


It's based on a similar programme in the UK called 'Teach First' which has proven very successful. It's interesting to see the link between both countries and recognising the need to address similar problems across the world.


Since 2011, the scheme has recruited over 100 teachers with 7700 students taught and 64 schools supported.


Simon Perry reports:

“Access to quality education, particularly to girls and young women is one of the U.K.’s top priorities in Pakistan,” the couple’s spokesman said ahead of the royal tour.
Area education officer Mohammed Sohailkhan also echoed those sentiments to reporters on Tuesday, noting that the quality of education, particularly for girls, varied across the country.
“In recent years there has been gradual progress in understanding how important education is for girls and young women. There is a realization of what it can mean in terms of jobs and prospects,” he said. “I can’t paint you an entirely rosy picture. 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.”

William told a group of science students he had always wanted to fly. "I changed a lot as I got older but I always wanted to learn to fly. I was flying for a while a actually. I love flying, I feel very free."


The Duchess met a group of kindergarten children.


More from The Telegraph:

Asked by the chattering group of girls what they thought of Pakistan so far, the duchess beamed and replied: "It’s fantastic, this is only day one for us. We are going to the north so we will be interested to explore see the difference."

"Work Hard. Be Smart".


You'll notice the colour of Kate's ensemble matches the uniform.



'Sitting in the classroom with a group of teenagers, Prince William - who will, of course, be king one day - was asked what he had wanted to do when he was younger after Aima, 14, told him that she wanted to be a brain surgeon. 
"Actually I changed a lot as I got older but I always wanted to learn to fly. I was flying for a while a actually. I love flying, I feel very free [and) I like learning a skill, I enjoy that. I can relate the science of what you do," he said. 
The same student also told the prince that the girls were ‘big fans of your mother’.
Prince William gave a broad, slightly wistful, smile and said: "You were, really? Oh that’s very sweet of you. I was a big fan of my mother too. 
"She came here three times. I was very small. This is my first time and it is vey nice to be here and meet you all."

A 17 minute video from the engagement.


From there, they visited Margalla Hills located at the foot of the Himalayas.


They were joined by children from several local schools participating in the World Wildlife Fund Green Schools programme.


They joined in a range of activities including setting a leopard camera trap and a new initiative to remove harmful plants.


Take a look at the breathtaking Margalla Hills. Spanning over 12,000 hectares, archaeologists have discovered human footprints, over two millions years there, preserved in sandstone. They are home to 300 species of plants - many used for medicinal purposes - and a range of wildlife including the endangered Margalla leopard.


The Duchess selected a traditional royal blue periwinkle silk Kurta with trousers and a scarf by Pakistani designer Maheen Khan. When considering local designers for the Duchess, Khan is very much top of the list. Described by Milan Fashion Week as the "Coco Chanel of the East", the award winning designer has been a dominant force in fashion for decades.


Khan's illustrious career began in the 1970s. She quickly earned the title of "Pakistan's first couturier". She founded couture label Maheen, and high street brand Gulabo, with a determination to create wearable but elegant collections for women. Khan's career has seen her design costumes for Snow White and The Huntsman and Elizabeth starring Cate Blanchett. She was commissioned by Harrods to create a replica of The Queen's coronation dress to mark 60th anniversary celebrations. They ultimately decided not to go with the piece on display - instead presenting it to the British High Commission in Karachi. Khan's also the CEO of Pakistan Fashion Week.


A profile piece on the designer from Aurora:

“It humbles me to realise that I was the one who instigated all this; by default I stepped into this muddy area called fashion. I would never have dreamt that my small initiative would grow into a mega-billion rupee industry.”
It is also her opinion that the industry has become sleazy, too commercial and stagnant. Given that so many new names have entered the market recently, I asked her how easy it is to become a couturier. Her short reply is: “Do half of them even know what fashion means? They are all seamstresses, exactly where I was in 1972. What do they make that a tailor cannot?”
Khan describes fashion as something new that has never been seen before; it is about introducing a silhouette. “But, of course, none of them will tell you this because they don’t know.”
In her view, it is perfectly okay if someone wants to make pretty clothes and some money out of it, but they should not call themselves designers. “Does every man who builds a house call himself an architect? No. So why does every woman who makes clothes call herself a designer?”

The Duchess accessorised with her £7 Zeen Beaded Chandelier earrings from last night.


For Kate's first engagement, she wore a pair of £24 New Look Block Heel sandals (with thanks to Kate Middleton Style). They are also available in black at Asos.


In Margalla Hills, Kate changed into her Russell & Bromley Xpresso crossover flat shoes.


Following a quick change, William and Kate met the President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, at the Presidential Palace.


The Duke and Duchess with the President and First Lady.


Next, the couple attended a luncheon with Prime Minister Imran Khan. Of course the Prime Minister is a familiar face...


Before entering politics, Imran was a very famous cricketer, then married to one of Diana's closest friends Jemima Goldsmith. During Diana's visits to the country, she supported Mr Khan's efforts to build a cancer centre and spent a good deal of time with the couple. It is believed William and Kate will retrace her footsteps later on in the visit.


Below, Diana in Pakistan with Imran Khan and Jemima.


More from ITV:

'Khan was a family friend who, at that time, was the husband of Princess Diana’s close confidante Jemima Khan, now Jemima Goldsmith. Diana would often take her two boys, William and Harry, to play at the Goldsmith’s large property in Richmond Park in south west London.
Jemima’s mother, Annabel Goldsmith, had been in Diana’s life for many years. She was an almost mother-like figure for Diana and someone she looked up to.'

The PM spoke about his own career journey. The Express reports:

“When I went with my mother to see a Test match my cousin was playing and he scored a century and I told my mother I wanted to be a Test cricketer,” Khan said.
“I never realised how difficult it was to eventually become one. Similarly, when I told you that I wanted to succeed I didn’t realise it would take me 22 years.”
Kate interjected “You stuck with it.” 

The Duchess changed into a bespoke Catherine Walker tunic and Maheen Khan white trousers for the meetings. Interestingly, Maheen Khan did quite a bit of embroidery work for Catherine Walker over the years. I expect it's likely someone from the Walker brand suggested Khan as a fantastic Pakistani brand to wear during the tour. The vivid grass green hue features in several Catherine Walker pieces, including a coatdress Kate's worn several times.


Kate teamed the look with an $11 Green Chiffon Dupatta by Pakistan based Satrangi (with thanks to Heaven).


And her Zeen Ceramic Drop earrings.


Kate completed the look with her 'greenery suede' Emmy London shoes and clutch.


A brief roundup video from the day.


William and Kate will privately meet British High Commission staff later this afternoon before attending an evening reception at the Pakistan Monument.
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