Royals in Pakistan: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Lahore

The couple will visit a children's charity, Badshahi Mosque and play cricket in the city

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On day four of their official tour of Pakistan, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in Lahore, in the northeast of the country.

It will be a busy day, with visits to the Badshahi Mosque, children's charity SOS Village, Pakistan Cricket Academy, Badshahi Mosque and Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital.

To arrive in the city, the Duchess of Cambridge wore an embroidered shalwar kameez by  Pakistani textile company Gul Ahmed and a shawl by Maheem Khan. She has worn a number of designs by Pakistani designer, Maheen Khan while visiting the country, including the blue kurta she wore on the first full day of the royal tour.

Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Lahore, Pakistan October 17, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/Pool
Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Lahore, Pakistan on Thursday, October 17, 2019. Reuters

Shortly after landing, the royals visited SOS Village, which provides a home and family for 150 young orphans.

They took part in a singalong, ate some birthday cake with the children and the duchess gave a speech, even delivering a few works in Urdu, thanking the organisers of the event and the charity.

A highlight of the day will be their visit to the National Academy for a game of cricket, where they are expected to meet a number of well-known international cricketers, including Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Waqar Younis, who will be umpiring a game.

They are also expected to visit the Badshahi Mosque, where they will follow in the footsteps of Prince William's father, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. The royals visited Lahore in 2006.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales pose for a photograph in front of Badshai Mosque in Lahore. Instagram / Kensington Royal via Royal Collection Trust
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales pose for a photograph in front of Badshai Mosque in Lahore. Instagram / Kensington Royal via Royal Collection Trust

Yesterday, Wednesday, October 16, the royals visited villages in the mountainous Chitral district of Pakistan, which sits on the border to Afghanistan.

Upon arrival, they were each 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).

Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a settlement of the Kalash people in Chitral, Pakistan, October 16, 2019. Samir Hussein/Pool via REUTERS
Before travelling to Lahore, Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visited a settlement of the Kalash people in Chitral, Pakistan, on October 16, 2019. Reuters 

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.

Earlier in the week, they met Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad and on their first full day in the South Asian country, the British royals have visited the Islamabad Model College for Girls, with the intention of highlighting the importance of education during their visit.

Ahead of their arrival in Pakistan, Kensington Palace said education will be a focus of the trip. The palace announced that the royals plan to "visit programmes which empower young people, and organisations that help ensure they have the best possible start in life.

"Access to quality education, particularly to girls and young women is one of the UK’s top priorities in Pakistan. The Duke and Duchess are looking forward to spending time meeting young Pakistanis, and hearing more about their aspirations for the future."