• Britain's Prince William (C), Duke of Cambridge and his wife Catherine (R), Duchess of Cambridge, chat with members of the Kalash tribe during their visit to the Bumburate Valley in Pakistan northern Chitral District. Prince William and his wife Kate flew near the Afghan border to visit a remote Hindu Kush glacier, after a morning spent trying on feathered traditional caps and luxurious shawls in Pakistan's mountainous north. AFP
    Britain's Prince William (C), Duke of Cambridge and his wife Catherine (R), Duchess of Cambridge, chat with members of the Kalash tribe during their visit to the Bumburate Valley in Pakistan northern Chitral District. Prince William and his wife Kate flew near the Afghan border to visit a remote Hindu Kush glacier, after a morning spent trying on feathered traditional caps and luxurious shawls in Pakistan's mountainous north. AFP
  • William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people, to learn more about their culture and unique heritage in Chitral, Pakistan. The royal couple is on an official five-day visit to Pakistan. It is the first royal visit to the country in 13 years. EPA
    William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people, to learn more about their culture and unique heritage in Chitral, Pakistan. The royal couple is on an official five-day visit to Pakistan. It is the first royal visit to the country in 13 years. EPA
  • Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people, to learn more about their culture and unique heritage in Chitral, Pakistan. Getty Images
    Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people, to learn more about their culture and unique heritage in Chitral, Pakistan. Getty Images
  • Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people. Getty Images
    Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people. Getty Images
  • Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people. Getty Images
    Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people. Getty Images
  • Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people, to learn more about their culture and unique heritage. Getty Images
    Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people, to learn more about their culture and unique heritage. Getty Images
  • Britain's William and Catherine (C), Duke and Duchess of Cambridge speak to emergency response team in the village of Bumburet in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province in Pakistan. EPA
    Britain's William and Catherine (C), Duke and Duchess of Cambridge speak to emergency response team in the village of Bumburet in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province in Pakistan. EPA
  • Britain's William (L) and Catherine (R), Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit the Chiatibo glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province in Pakistan. EPA
    Britain's William (L) and Catherine (R), Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit the Chiatibo glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province in Pakistan. EPA
  • Britain's William (L) and Catherine (R), Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit flood ruins in the village of Bumburet in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province in Pakistan. EPA
    Britain's William (L) and Catherine (R), Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit flood ruins in the village of Bumburet in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province in Pakistan. EPA
  • Britain's William (L) and Catherine (R), Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit flood ruins in the village of Bumburet in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province in Pakistan. EPA
    Britain's William (L) and Catherine (R), Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit flood ruins in the village of Bumburet in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province in Pakistan. EPA
  • Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits the Chiatibo glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province, Pakistan. They spoke with a an expert about how climate change is impacting glacial landscapes. Getty Images
    Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits the Chiatibo glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhunkwa Province, Pakistan. They spoke with a an expert about how climate change is impacting glacial landscapes. Getty Images
  • Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
    Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
  • Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
    Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
  • Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
    Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
  • Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
    Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
  • Britain's Prince William arrives in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
    Britain's Prince William arrives in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
  • Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
    Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives in Chitral, Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
  • Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit the Chiatibo glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
    Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit the Chiatibo glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
  • Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit the Chiatibo glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters
    Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit the Chiatibo glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Reuters

Kate Middleton in Pakistan: duchess wears a traditional Chitrali pakol cap


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On day two of their Pakistan royal tour, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were choppered into the mountainous Chitral district, which sits on the border to Afghanistan.

Kate and William were both given traditional clothes to keep them warm (the Chitral state is one of the highest regions in the world, ranging from 1,094 to 7,726 metres above sea level).

William wore a heavily embroidered white coat and a traditional cap with a feather in it, while Kate also donned a cap as well as a thick, embroidered shawl.

The hat worn by Kate is called a pakol, and is worn in Afghanistan and in parts of Pakistan. The caps are generally 100% wool, and the feather detail marks any particular cap as more formal. Kate's cap features a peacock feather.

A feathered cap is often seen in army uniforms and as worn by the scouts in Chitral. It is very similar to one worn by William's late mother Princess Diana when she toured Pakistan back in 1991, who also wore a similarly embroidered coat:

Royal watchers do love to compare almost anything Kate wears to something Diana has worn in the past, but the comparison here is clear and undeniable.

While in the Chitral District, the couple have also visited Chiatbo Glacier to see the effects climate change has had there, and will also see the impact of flooding in the Chitral valley.