Kate opts for casual chic on Safari

William and Kate kicked off the fourth day of the Royal Tour with an open-air drive around the Kaziranga National Park.  (See all previous coverage here).

The royal couple spotted rhino, water buffalo, swamp deer and a number of bird species.

“Apart from a few roll bars on the jeep and a – hopefully – crack shot park ranger, there was nothing between the future King and Queen and some of the most dangerous animals on the planet.

As they pulled away, Kate squeezed William’s thigh and joked: ‘We’re all safe’. Both of them grinned, perhaps with a smidgen of anxiety.”

Via the Daily Mail

William and Kate were visibly excited by the safari, both had wide grins on their faces throughout the experience. During the trek, a huge rhino blocked the road. Kate exclaimed “this is amazing!”

After the half hour safari ride, the Duke and Duchess arrived at the Bimoli Anti-Poaching Camp in the centre of the park. They couple met with and spoke to the rangers who protect the park’s wildlife and habitats. They wanted to learn more about the challenges the park faces.

William and Kate spoke with rangers and discussed the issue of poaching with the rangers:

“Kaziranga is home to two-thirds of the world’s population of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses – Latin name, Rhinoceros Unicornis.

[The rhinos] are in particular danger as demand in other parts of Asia for their horns continues to rise. Traffickers in South East Asia are now marketing Indian rhino horn as ‘fire horn’ and lying about its increased potency when compared to African horn.

The Duke will use this visit to speak out against the lies and violence that threaten this valuable species and the communities that rely on it.”

Via PrinceOfWales.gov.uk

William and Kate were told all about the dangers of being a park ranger. One ranger recounts a story of being charged at by a Rhino. He had to stay in the hospital for 45 days.

But it isn’t just the wildlife that is dangerous. Another ranger was caught in a gunfight with poachers in the north side of the park.

“’That evening there was crossfire between poachers and my team here… The butcher ran off and was later found dead. We recovered rifles and ammo… These things happen a lot. It’s a big problem.”You’re all doing an incredibly important job,’ William told Barman. ‘I’m incredibly proud of everything you’re doing.’ “

Via The Daily Mail

After speaking with the rangers, William and Kate took another 30-minute safari.  This time, it was a private trip.

Keen photographer Kate took her Camera on the safari.  (For those who like a lot of detail, we know she shot the pictures of Charlotte on a Canon EOS 52 Mark II according to the pictures’ meta data! I’m guessing she took that camera with her today!)

Kate’s outfit:

Kate wore a number of new (to us, the public) pieces for the safari today. First, she wore a white shirt featuring a blue and brown “diamond” print. The shirt is by Australian brand, R.M. Williams.

According to the Aussie blogger behind Kate’s Closet, the style is called “Gretna” and the shirt is from the company’s AW 2014 collection. (Interestingly, Kate visited Australia in 2014 – did she pick up the shirt on her travels?)

Kate wore a pair of edgy trousers, picked up at Zara. They’re the “mid-rise biker trousers” in with “power stretch knee detail” and gold zips.  (Thanks to @MiddletonMaven for finding these!)

The trousers cost £29.99 from Zara (which is around $43 USD).  Shop them here.

If you’ve followed Kate’s style for the last few years, you’ll instantly recognise her shoes. They’re the Sebago Bala boat shoes in Taupe suede.

The shoes are really popular with Kate fans.  They’re available from:

Kate wore her Kiki McDonough citrine drop earrings during the trip.

Her Ray-Ban wayfarer shades made an appearance too.

Finally, Kate arrived wearing a beige coloured pashmina with a white ribbon trim.

We think Kate’s wearing the Flora Indian Embroidered Stole in Beige:

“Our Flora pashminas are hand woven and embroidered in Kashmir, India, by the finest and most skilled artisans. The premium quality material used renders them extremely soft, comparable only to the luxurious shatush.”

The pashmina/stole costs £180 and is woven from Himalayan mountain goat wool.  Read more about it here.

Thanks to @PerthsFashion on Twitter for finding the stole.