ISLAMABAD - British Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton will undertake a royal visit to Pakistan in the autumn at the request of Britain’s Foreign Office.
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undertake an official visit to Pakistan this autumn, at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office,” Kensington Palace tweeted.
The Royal Family’s first tour to Pakistan comes more than 13 years after the last royal visit, when the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall travelled to the country in 2006. The future heir to the throne follows the footsteps of both his parents.
Senior officials at the foreign ministry told The Nation that the prince and the princess would be provided foolproof security. “The dates (for the visit) are being finalised. We will soon know the exact schedule,” said one official.
Queen Elizabeth visited Pakistan in 1961 and 1997 and Princess Diana travelled to Pakistan on a solo trip in 1991. Diana, Princess of Wales, also made the journey several times through her charity work.
The Queen last travelled to Pakistan in 1997, and called on Pakistan and India to settle their differences, in an address to parliament in Islamabad.
When Charles and Camilla travelled to Pakistan, their visit was seen as one of the most perilous royal foreign tours for some time.
The trip will mark Kate and William’s first visit to Pakistan, which is a member of the Commonwealth.
William and Kate, who have not been on tour together for 18 months as the Duchess looked after their third baby Prince Louis, will visit Pakistan as they take on a heavyweight role in Britain’s overseas diplomacy.
The tour, which the three Cambridge children - Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 1 - will not be part of, will see them navigate significant security concerns to celebrate the country’s ties with the UK.
Pakistan’s high commissioner in London welcomed the announcement. “The upcoming Royal Visit is a reflection of the importance the United Kingdom attaches to its relations with Pakistan,” said Mohammed Nafees Zakaria. “The two countries enjoy historical links which both sides wish to strengthen further,” he added.
British High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew tweeted: “I’m delighted that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Pakistan this autumn. They will receive a very warm welcome.”
Pakistan has close political, economic and cultural ties with the UK and a strong more than one million British-Pakistanis community help to keep the two sides close to each other.
Prince William had shown interest in visiting Pakistan several months ago but had never given any time frame.