An electrical storm forced Willam and Kate to change their plans on the final day of the Pakistan tour (Friday 18th October).
During the previous evening, the couple boarded a flight in an attempt to leave Lahore and make their way back to Islamabad. Unfortunately, adverse weather conditions caused turbulence, which meant the Duke and Duchess’s aeroplane had to abort two landing attempts. The RAF Voyager plane spent an hour circling the capital before it was decided to return to Lahore.
As you can imagine, this caused a logistical nightmare for the plane’s passengers, which included the royal couple, palace aides, diplomats and the press.
The prince took the change of circumstances in good humour. More from the Telegraph:
Back on the tarmac in the city, the Duke walked through the plane to see if the press were fine and joked that he had been flying the plane. The duke is a former air ambulance pilot.
Kate later spoke to one of the royal reporters (see video at the bottom of this section). She said:
I think it was quite an adventure really, it was pretty bumpy up there. But we were looked after so wonderfully by the RAF who did a great job liaising with everyone and got us home safely, so were are hugely grateful to them.
Unfortunately, the delay meant William and Kate had to cancel an engagement at a military post in the Khyber Pass. The couple were due to visit the mountain pass, which is located in the northwest of Pakistan on the border with Afghanistan, on Friday morning. The visit would have involved a security briefing highlighting the improved relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The storm cleared by the next morning, allowing the Duke and Duchess to fly back to Islamabad. Thankfully, they made it back in time for one final engagement in the city.
William and Kate left at the Pearl Continental Hotel surprising guests in the lobby, before hot-footing it to Islamabad.
After a quick outfit change, the pair visited the Army Canine Centre where they joined dog handlers and puppies.
The duo learned how the army uses the dogs to recognise and scout out hidden explosive materials.
They also put some of the puppies through their paces on an agility training course.
The Centre is modelled on the UK’s Defence Animal Training Centre at Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.
A video from the engagement, plus a bonus interview with Kate about the aeroplane drama:
Kate’s outfits on the final day:
You probably noticed Kate changed outfits between Lahore and Islamabad. She began the day wearing a cream coloured kurta – or tunic – from Pakistani design house Élan. It was embroidered with a striking black design.
PEOPLE magazine’s Monique Jessen spoke to the team at Élan and found out more. She told us the kurta is made from traditional handspun silk in ivory, has a tapered silhouette and features delicate floral and tribal embroideries using ebony silk thread. It will be available to buy next spring for £70-100. Alizah Raza, the head of business at Élan, confirmed also confirmed the company will ship the piece worldwide.
Élan told Monique that Kate’s team discovered her designs on Instagram.
Speaking on behalf of the Élan team, Khadijah Shah wrote the following statement on Twitter:
I’d like to thank HRH the Duchess of Cambridge for wearing our bespoke design on her trip to Pakistan. We are absolutely thrilled with how elegantly she carried it, and grateful for this privilege and honour.
Élan is a luxury brand with outlets across Pakistan. Their company is headquartered in Lahore. Below, we show three “ready to wear” kurta designs on the company’s website:
Kate carried her black Smythson Panama East West Zip Tote. The bag features thin top handles, zip-top closure and brass hardware. It’s made of leather.
Sadly, Smythson no longer stocks the East West Zip style. However, Selfridges sell a similar Smythson tote without the front pocket in black. It costs £695.
Over her shoulder, Kate wore the Maheen Khan shawl (or dupatta as it’s known locally) from the previous day’s visit to Lahore. Pictured below, a similar item by the designer shown on the O’Nitaa website: (O’Nitaa is the Asian fashion boutique that dressed Kate for much of the tour. They’re the exclusive stockists of Maheen Khan in the UK.)
While leaving Lahore, Kate wore the J.Crew Lucie pumps she debuted the day before.
As I wrote in the previous blog post, the brown suede pumps feature a D’Orsay style cutout, elegant pointed toe and slim heel. The shoes are made in one of Italy’s classic shoe factories. They currently retail for £246 GBP / $218 USD.
They’re also available in peony pink, pacific blue and black:
In terms of jewellery, Kate wore a pair of gold coloured filigree earrings from British high street store Accessorize. We’ve seen her wear them before (pictured below).
Unfortunately, the earrings, which retailed for £5 ($6 USD) are no longer available to buy.
The Duchess changed into a white shalwar kameez and black coat for the final engagement of the tour. Unfortunately, I do not have any information about the white shalwar kameez.
However, I do know that her coat is by Beulah London. It’s the company’s Papilio style in black. It features an a-line shape, covered buttons and silk satin detailing. It’s made from a wool crepe fabric.
The coat can be ordered from the company’s website for £675. Or, from Orchard Mile for $857.25.
Kate’s worn Beulah London for many years. She owns several coats, dresses and scarves from the British fashion brand. The company’s owned and operated by one of Kate’s friends, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, who has known Prince William since they were infants. Fun fact: Lady Natasha is now married to one of Kate’s former boyfriends.
Pictured below, Kate in Beulah London:
Finally, Kate changed into a black pair of Russell and Bromley’s Xpresso crossover flats.
You might remember that she wore a pair in blush suede earlier in the week?
Here’s how they’re described on the R&B website:
Bring a touch of royalty to your wardrobe this season with Xpresso, as worn by the Duchess of Cambridge. Designed in the softest black suede, these feature a delicately pointed toe and are finished with a chic crossover strap. Brighten up the boardroom and wear to work or pair with silk fabrics for a grown up take on off-duty dressing.
Russell and Bromley still sell the shoes on their website in black and blue suede. They cost £195.
The British company sells luxury footwear and handbags. They have 40+ retail stores across the UK.
And that’s a wrap!
The tour is officially over! If you missed any of my blog posts, you can catch up on this page.
William and Kate landed safely back in the UK a few hours ago. Presumably, the couple travelled straight home to see their children.
What did you think of Kate’s final two tour outfits? Did you like the monochrome colour scheme after a few days of vibrant colour?
Which was your favourite outfit from the tour? As always, let me know in the comments section below.
I think my fave outfits were the Day 4 ones, first the cream/white outfit she wore to the cricket, and then the teal she wore to the children’s hospital. But I did live all the other outfits as well! 😀
*Sorry, meant to say “love” not live 😉
The black and white outfit was very striking. The covered buttons and silk satin detail finish lifted this coat to a whole new level. It was never going to be just another black coat. The cut, fit and fall of the coat was perfect, beautifully done. Loved the black crossover shoes, great choice. The cream coloured tunic looked lovely, it looked so comfortable, light and cool. The embroidery on the tunic using the silk thread is exquisite. The Duchess looked marvellous on this tour, with much planning and foresight in the fashion choices made. My favourite outfit, is the emerald “green’ gown she wore., it ticked all the boxes! The richness and depth of colour was stunning., against the nigh time backdrop, it photographed superbly. The style of gown suited her perfectly, loved the small train . The cascading chiffon scarf was the perfect finishing touch.
I love reading the information you provide on past outfits so very interesting, Thank you for the wonderful coverage. I have learnt so much, the last 5 days. A great blog.