16/04/2016

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have left Bhutan with preparations underway at the Taj Mahal ahead of their visit



Kate and Wills say their fond farewells to Bhutan as they head to the Taj Mahal 24 years after his mother Diana visited the monument... and where temperatures will reach a scorching 110F 

  • Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have left Bhutan with preparations underway at the Taj Mahal ahead of their visit  
  • The visit comes 24 years after Princess Diana's poignant trip and the iconic image of her sitting alone on a bench
  • Their trip to the Taj Mahal is predicted to be one of the highlights of their tour of the country, which ends today
  • Temperatures at the iconic marble mausoleum are set to soar - expected to hit more than 43C this afternoon

Her presence there, alone, was one of the most enduring images of the collapse of her marriage to Prince Charles.
But now, 24 years later, Princess Diana’s son is making his own pilgrimage to the Taj Mahal to create, he says, ‘new memories’ of his own.
Prince William’s visit to the Indian landmark has long been predicted to be one of the highlights of his tour of the country with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, which ends today.
But the prince has made clear that while he is keen to follow in his much loved mother’s footsteps, he and Kate will not dwell in the past.
Ready for the 43C heat of Agra, the couple left a rain-swept Bhutan today, with Kate wearing a white Alexander McQueen dress and a necklace which was a gift from the Queen of Bhutan
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Ready for the 43C heat of Agra, the couple left a rain-swept Bhutan today, with Kate wearing a white Alexander McQueen dress and a necklace which was a gift from the Queen of Bhutan
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge depart Bhutan at Paro International Airport, ahead of their visit to the Taj Mahal 
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge depart Bhutan at Paro International Airport, ahead of their visit to the Taj Mahal 
Kate previously wore the white broderie anglaise full skirted suit  in 2012
The Duchess of Cambridge looked stunning as she departed Bhutan at Paro International Airport
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Kate previously wore the white broderie anglaise full skirted suit in 2012. The necklace, gifted to her by the Queen of Bhutan, features one of the eight auspicious symbols in Buddhism - the endless knot, which symbolises the union of wisdom and great compassion
An aide said yesterday: ‘The Taj, one of the wonders of the world and completed in 1648, will be a fitting location for The Duke and Duchess to say thank you for the generosity and warmth that has been extended to them on the tour.
‘The Taj Mahal is one of the symbols of India and Their Royal Highnesses cannot wait to see it with their own eyes.
‘The Duke of Cambridge is of course aware of the huge esteem his mother, the late Princess of Wales, is held in India and he appreciates the iconic status of the images that exist of The Princess at the Taj.
‘He feels incredibly lucky to visit a place where his mother’s memory is kept alive by so many who travel there.
'Twenty four years on from her visit to the Taj, The Duke and The Duchess are looking forward to seeing this beautiful place for themselves and creating some new memories as they say thank you to the people of India at the conclusion of this tour.’
Fond farewells: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge received gifts as they left Bhutan having become firm friends with their hosts
Fond farewells: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge received gifts as they left Bhutan having become firm friends with their hosts
The picture that was transmitted around the globe: Princess Diana was pictured on a bench in front of the Indian landmark in 1992 as her marriage to Prince Charles unravelled
The picture that was transmitted around the globe: Princess Diana was pictured on a bench in front of the Indian landmark in 1992 as her marriage to Prince Charles unravelled
Preparing for the royal visit: A worker was pictured this morning sweeping an area in front of the iconic monument complex in Agra
Preparing for the royal visit: A worker was pictured this morning sweeping an area in front of the iconic monument complex in Agra
Prince William’s visit to the landmark has long been predicted to be one of the highlights of his tour of the country, which ends today
Prince William’s visit to the landmark has long been predicted to be one of the highlights of his tour of the country, which ends today
The couple depart Bhutan at Paro International Airport: As their shows of affection this week have shown, William and Kate can tread in the footsteps of Diana today, safe in the knowledge that history is unlikely to repeat itself
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The couple depart Bhutan at Paro International Airport: As their shows of affection this week have shown, William and Kate can tread in the footsteps of Diana today, safe in the knowledge that history is unlikely to repeat itself
Twenty-four years after his mother's visit, Prince William and his wife will tour the stunning marble mausoleum in Agra
Twenty-four years after his mother's visit, Prince William and his wife will tour the stunning marble mausoleum in Agra
The couple’s seven day tour of India and Bhutan, which started last Sunday, has seen some memorable moments: William and Kate playing cricket with Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai and their visit to its slum children - which William says was the most significant part of their trip - followed by a Bollywood extravaganza; Kate’s ‘Marilyn’ moment as her white dress blew up during a wreath laying ceremony at India Gate in New Delhi and the couple’s foray into international diplomacy as they lunched with the Indian Prime Minister and raised the plight of Britain’s steel workers.
And who can forget Kate’s face as she fed a baby rhino in Kaziranga National Park or their their two-day visit to Bhutan where they met the King and Queen of the Dragon Kingdom and tried their hand at archery before hiking – Kate in a leather waistcoat and full make-up – to the breathtaking Tiger’s Nest monastery.
But it is their visit to the Taj Mahal which is likely to be the most enduring and iconic image, if only as the couple finally lay the ghosts of the past to rest

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