British royal couple Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived in Pakistan on Monday evening for a five-day visit, according to the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan.
On their first visit to Pakistan, the royal couple was welcomed by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his wife at the Nur Khan Airbase, Dawn news reported.
British High Commissioner in Pakistan Thomas Drew and senior Pakistani officials were also at a military airbase to receive the couple.
They will meet Pakistani President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan during their stay in Pakistan, officials said.
Taking to Twitter, Kensington Palace posted a picture of the royal couple disembarking from the plane wrote, “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in Islamabad at the start of their official visit to Pakistan!”
ڈیوک اور ڈچز آف کیمبرج اپنے پاکستان کے پہلے شاہی دورے پر اسلام آباد تشریف لا چکے ہیں۔#RoyalVisitPakistan pic.twitter.com/Spm2tYbZEA
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 14, 2019
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in Islamabad at the start of their official visit to Pakistan!#RoyalVisitPakistan pic.twitter.com/IoUo1IyHPW
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 14, 2019
The British High Commission in Pakistan also tweeted, “A very warm welcome to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Pakistan!”
The visit was organised at the request of the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The visit comes 13 years after Charles and Camilla – the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwell – toured the country in 2006. Pakistan still vividly remembers the late Princess Diana’s visit in 1996.
“The UK’s links with Pakistan are extensive, and Their Royal Highnesses are looking forward to building a lasting friendship with the people of Pakistan,” according to a statement by the royal couple’s spokesperson on Oct 4.
Earlier this month, Prince William and Kate had said that they were excited to visit the “beautiful” country to meet its people and to experience its culture.
Previously, Queen Elizabeth II had visited in 1961 and 1997, and the late Princess Diana in 1991.