For the afternoon’s activities Kate changed into a dress by Anita Dongre, one of India’s best known designers.
©Stephen Lock / i-Images
Together with Prince William they headed to Oval Maidan, Mumbai’s famed cricket pitch. There they watched a match with teams showcasing young people. They also met representatives of three charities, and the children who benefit from their work. Tonight’s black tie party is a fundraiser for these three organizations.
- Magic Bus: Steers children “toward a better life with better awareness, better life skills and better opportunities.”
- Doorstep School: A literacy organization providing “education and support to the often-forgotten children of pavement dwellers, slum dwellers, construction site families and many other underprivileged families.”
- Childline India: A 24-hour helpline for children in distress anywhere in India.
As on other occasions, Kate was not shy about getting involved in exercises and games the children were playing.
©Robin Nunn/Nunn Syndication/Polaris
The Duke and Duchess also played a little cricket themselves, below you see them with legendary players Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar just before the match.
Sachin Tendulkar
More from ITV’s story:
They may not have been wearing whites, but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge showed they were game for cricket on the first day of their Indian tour.
Prince William looked on as his wife Catherine, wearing a colourful summer dress and wedges, showed off her batting skills.
ITV News (@ITVNews)
Below, the couple spending time with students from Door Step School.
©Robin Nunn/Nunn Syndication/Polaris
Rebecca English tweeted images of some of the handmade gifts children created for William and Kate.
Rebecca English, The Daily Mail & Mail Online (@RE_DailyMail)
The royals chatting with other students.
Rebecca English, The Daily Mail and Mail Online (@RE_DailyMail)
Prince William and the Duchess also practiced their Hindi skills with some of the youngsters at today’s event.
Kensington Palace
And signed a cricket bat.
Rebecca English, The Daily Mail & Mail (@RE_DailyMail)
Following the sporting activities Kate and William took an open air bus ride to the historic Banganga Water Tank.
Kensington Palace
From The Mirror‘s coverage:
The royal tour has stopped off at the Banganga Water Tank, where the couple received a special welcome.
They were given flower garlands and placed petals in the water during a traditional ceremony.
Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal)
They also met representatives of children’s charity Smile; it works through “grassroots initiatives for effecting positive changes in the lives of underprivileged children, their families and communities.”
On to what Kate wore. We begin with the vibrant dress from Anita Dongre, in coral, red and green Jaipur-inspired patterns. The dress is similar to a piece the designer showed at Lakmé Fashion Week in Mumbai (lower right), which was just last week.
i-Images/Anita Dongre
Called the “Gulrukh Tunic Dress,” the style was available for ordering earlier today. No one will be surprised to see that it is now sold out.
Anita Dongre
More on the designer’s reaction when she Kate wore one of her pieces comes via the Hindustan Times:
Mumbai-based Anita Dongre told us that she had no idea Middleton would be wearing her creation today. “This came as a total surprise to me! I honestly had no idea that Kate is going to wear the dress. Yes, someone from my team had mentioned that they had asked for our lookbook, but I never took it too seriously,” says Dongre. The georgette dress is from her summer collection, Love Notes and is Jaipur-inspired will all-over Mughal and architectural motifs.
“So many times people have asked me who I would love to dress, and it has always been Kate for me, I really admire her sense of style so this is super exciting! I think that fashion goes hand in hand with comfort, and I guess that is what Kate chose. I hope to meet her soon,” Dongre adds.
We saw Kate wearing a new pair of wedges, the Monsoon Fleur in taupe.
Monsoon/i-IMages
And she wore a new pair of earrings this afternoon, the Filigree Bead Short Drop style from Accessorize. We show them at the UK website where they are £8, about $11 at today’s exchange rates.
Accessorize/Polaris
Kate wore Ray Ban sunglasses part of the afternoon, but I’ve not had time to look closely at them and see if I can sort out what model they are, or if we have seen them before.
Kate looked relaxed and as though she was reveling in her time with the children. The Anita Dongre dress was a solid look for an afternoon outside in the sun.
© Polaris/Polaris/Images
Many thanks to Marianna Bozzoli, My Small Obsessions, and What Would Kate Do for their great identification skills!
LINKAGE:
- You can see the Anita Dongre entire run of show at Fashion Week by visiting Vogue India here
- Kate’s Indian-Inspired Style Gets Thumbs Up From Fashionistas from The Daily Mail
- Gordon Rayner’s story in The Telegraph is here, The Daily Mail’s photo-laden story is here, Richard Palmer’s story in The Express is here,
- The Mirror’s slive feed of coverage throughout the day is here
- The Mirror’s story about Kate “showcasing the best of British and Indian fashion” is here
Kate always dresses beautifully. She uses good judgement and exquisite taste plus she just has a special sparkle that makes her so much fun to admire and watch.
I love the fact that Kate’s outfits have long, mid, and some short sleeves. Seeing women dresses with no sleeves in the dead of winter, fall, spring just does not make sense. Nor does it look appropriate for the seasons.
Women are always cold and have to purchase cover up for their no sleeve dresses, top, outfits. Which makes an extra expense not to mention time finding the perfect cover up, jacket, sweater, cape. I wonder if designers haven’t thought about that extra cost.
This dress is lovely. I did find it on line at the designers Anita Dongre website.
It would be nice it it could be ordered from someone in the US. I have not found anyone in the US that carries this designers line.She does have beautiful and new ideas for us to consider in the United States.
Would like to order this dress but sizing is a question and return issues if it does not fit properly. They do have a size chart but never having bought any of this designers cloths I still have Question.
Oh, the name of the dress is the Gulrukh Tunic Dress.
Sooner or later, Kate’s going to break a leg, or worse, jumping around in wedges. Can’t one of her body guards carry tennis shoes that she could change into real fast?
Shoe in my opinion are Mink Grace Suede Wedges from Mint Velvet
This dress was spot on!! The typical beautiful Jaipuri design, print and colors! Staple dress material in voil, cotton, or georgette that we all use for Dupattas (scarves) or Kameez (shirts) in the summers!
There is brand called Anokhi that does these prints in already tailored salwaar kameez, skirts, shirts, pants….(coz we usually get out clothes tailored, my mom has never worn an already stitched outfit ever!) Beautiful colors, patters and prints they have! Susan do check Anokhi out… 🙂 They have lovely stuff. Also, a site in Us and not designer expensive!
http://www.anokhiusa.com/
Read this article on Hello that Kate’s stylist Natasha Archer took what was essentially an Anarkali (Long frock sort of shirt) which Indian women wear with a Dupatta (scarf) and cotton colorful tights and converted it into a dress by using the scarf to make a belt! And ofcourse not wearing any pants with it. So thats where the belt comes from. It looks totally like the pipping on a Dupatta. Scarves generally have a border running on their edges and typically the pattern on the belt is what would be used as a border on them… Smart!
I love this look because of how comfortable she looks! I want to wear that dress all summer long. Question though, the Anita Dongre website notes that Kate is wearing her own belt with the dress. Any id on the belt?
Love the dress and earrings! You know what would have been fun? Spectator shoes, even fashion ones with a mid heel. She would never do that, I know, but it would have looked cool.
Love it! She looks amazing in the dress. It looks cool, light, and breezy. I love the pictures of her jumping and hitting that show how pretty the dress is in motion. Her hair looks great. I love the wedges and the sunglasses. “Love” sums up everything about this look!
Absolutely adored this dress. But those wedges were too clunky for the ethereal quality of the dress. Her old-height wedges would have been better. Best would have been ballet flats.
This is my favorite dress so far! She’s never too good to show off her athletic skills and a funny face or two. She looks relaxed and at ease. Love this one!
Loved the comments here – so astute. However, I would mention that there weren’t too many “lawn games” per se. Yes, Kate took two jumps, and William took two jumps, then William and Kate played cricket for 2 balls each (no running), and it that was it. There was just some walking around on dry ground at Bangana, and meeting kids – so it wasn’t sports as such. Sandals would have been perfect with the dress. But I suppose the firm would not be too pleased with such a casual look. Loved the dress – it was even more divine up front – and the earrings caught my eye in the glistening sunlight and I could make out that it was an Indian-style filigri jhumka. My favourite kind – I always ask for filigri style earrings – it’s the Calcutta style and it’s beautiful and delicate. I even hot eye-contact and a “hi” and a wave from her. I’m floating on a cloud of satisfaction today. She’s very very lovely in person. William’s the one that married up!
I loved your in-person description of this stop on the tour!
I’m glad this look was as pretty up close as it appears in photos. It’s nice to see attention brought to this talented Mumbai designer.
My favorite look of the trip so far. This dress says India! The pink and green print is beautiful.
Kate is in her element with young people in a sports setting. She looks happy, friendly and approachable.
I can’t say enough about this dress – I’d love to have one!
Love , love, love the look.
This looks like the perfect dress for Sunday afternoon in a Delhi park, though I can’t see the designer having cricket in mind as the first pursuit of its wearer. No matter, it’s a most beautiful print and I admire Kate for picking out such a lovely local label to endorse.
The mid-calf length suits her well. It reminds me of her South Seas party dress, the difference being with that this fabric is of so much better quality it hangs and moves beautifully. Blessedly it also has sufficient weight to prevent a Duchess embarrassment since once again she finds herself in a wide open windy space wearing a gathered cotton skirt.
And Kate certainly looked the part in her dress when she knelt by the waters of the Banganga.
How in heaven she manages to jump and frolic in wedges without breaking an ankle is beyond my comprehension. They are not very special-looking footwear but if she’s comfy, then that’s fine by me. At least they’re not a glaring mismatch.
I’m amused she should don one of the most common designs of readily available Indian-style jewellery, and I appreciate that a walk round the slums is not going to be the best venue for quality bling. They look pretty and are in keeping with her outfit.
Thank you so much for all your hard work in producing these posts, the royal couple are certainly keeping us busy on this trip.
I echo everything in your comment and have a bit more input on the wedges.
I have a pair of wedges nearly identical to these and they are very comfortable. I have actually played sports in them when I have forgotten to pack my running shoes. Also I think that strappy sandals as some others have suggested would have been very unsuitable for playing cricket. The walk through the streets of the city would in my opinion have been miserable in sandals.
I certainly take your point about the back streets of Delhi! You’re right a platform and wedge would be very handy, even though the areas they walked looked to have been well and truly hosed down. I don’t believe the steps at Banganga are normally that clean!
Deeply impressed if you too can play sports in such shoes. I’ve only tried wedges once but came unstuck as soon as I was on rough ground.
Curious about why she chose to wear wedges to a cricket game?She has done this before on other sporting events.
The colors and pattern are pretty.The dress is pretty.A nice look for sunny India
Love the whole look! The dress looks cool and comfortable, the earrings are lovely, and, contrary to what some may think, I suspect the shoes are very comfortable. The Monsoon website says they are perfect for hot weather. I have one question, can anyone tell if Kate is wearing hose? Surely not in the heat, but it is hard to tell.
No, she wan’t wearing hose. I was there. It was too hot for hose. She looked perfect.
Good to hear. It certainly looked way too hot for hose! She really did look so lovely and relaxed.
Do you know if the dress is transparent / see through. The website says the dress is georgette viscose and I wanted to know this before ordering … As you were there you would be best placed to advise. I look forward to your reply. Thank you
I can’t put into words how much I like this dress, Yes, Holly Hobby, these beautifully feminine long dresses were worn by me in the 70s & I hope I’ll be able to find this one or similar! It is a shame the designer doesn’t state what fibre was used, it looks like cotton, I hope it is. As for the earrings, we are all buying them as soon as I’ve left the site if they are online (well, the female members of my family anyway lol), if not, it is a good excuse to go shopping tomorrow, they are very much what I like to wear (and the dress).
The dress doesn’t need a heel, what the British called Jesus sandals in the 70s, strappy tan leather sandals, would have been ideal. There is one thing, it isn’t about style as such, but I really don’t know how Kate is able to wear her hair down on her tropical tours. My hair is up from spring to autumn & even then feels heavy – and that’s just in Britain, perhaps she just tolerates heat well, she’s more active than I feel when Mr Sun appears & looked just as fresh as if it was an ordinary British summer.
I love this whole look – dress, shoes and earrings. She looks comfortable, fresh, pretty and appropriate. I think a ponytail would have perfected the outfit, but her hair looked pretty and bouncy nonetheless.
I was just able to order the dress. If you go to the Anita Dongre home page, there is a special link there. It’s a little difficult from the US because your credit card company will think someone is fraudulently using your card in Mumbai, but once you talk with your bank, you can it through the order again..
Pretty dress for a casual event, although I am a little tired of the high tight neckline Kate favours. Anita Dongre has the most glorious colours and fabrics – including some that are remarkably similar to the JP dress she wore lateron. I hope Kate chooses something more sumptuous from Dongre to wear during the trip Nice colours, and coral or turquoise flats or strappy wedges might have worked better with the light fabric. I think the suede wedges are too heavy, as is that much hair worn down and loose. A coral lipstick and high ponytail would have put some snap and youth into the look.
Agree completely. I was expecting to see her in a ponytail; I was surprised she wasn’t. My hair was open, which was a bad call, because the back of my neck got drenched with sweat. Though her hair looked lovely, since it had gone back to it’s slightly wavy natural look from the heat. (The heat won’t let your hair stay set). I wish she had worn sandals – it would have completed the hippie tourist chic look.
Love the dress! Love the shoes but agree that they seem a bit heavy for the heat and dress.
The sunglasses are likely the same ones she wore on the Australia/NZ tour and to Wimbledon. I believe they were the folding Wayfarer – I have them and they’re awesome!
A couple of weeks ago there were a few comments regarding the interview Kate gave for the Queen’s 90th birthday program suggesting that Kate is “posh” and affects an exaggerated accent, suggesting that she perhaps has an inflated view of herself. In my opinion, one only needs see this second photo of her leaping, and the one of her playing cricket, and the obvious pleasure she takes in outdoor activities and events with children, to counter this negative assertion. The dress is a nice choice reflecting a relaxed afternoon as well as local designs and if she can do all that in heels, good for her. Having just spent a few hours shoe shopping I can attest that wedges and platforms are everywhere, so I’m not sure why the ongoing concern for them in her wardrobe. I’m enjoying the fashion side of the tour and look forward to seeing and learning so much more.
Sandals would have been inappropriate for playing cricket or soccer. While flats might have worked, they would have been off with the length of the dress.
I loved the dress – the material was so ethereal – it might have been very hot weather wise but the duchess managed to look very cool while engaging in so many activities.
Kate jumped extraordinaire in wedges after George now this is the wedge leap for Charlotte. Totally impractical and defiant in true Kate style. My daughter exclaimed Laura Ingalls (character from Little house on the prairie) meets Holly Hobbie when she viewed the dress and I agree. If this is an introduction to this tour’s wardrobe so far am disappointed
I love this dress! It looks so lightweight and the fabric moves beautifully, which is crucial with a skirt that length. I would not have liked the look half as much with a shorter skirt. This dress is all about the fabric. I wish she had worn nude ballerina flats. The wedges really look heavy and distract my eye, whereas a nude flat would have kind of disappeared, which would have been a good thing.
This trip is going to be a feast for our eyes!
She looks fabulous and appropriate. I think the choice of a longer skirt was perfect for the activities – batting, sitting down with the children and bending over to place flowers. A shorter skirt would have created the risk for a wardrobe malfunction and trousers might have been too casual. Really a lovely dress and well styled..
I love this dress! I think Kate perfectly captured the essence of India in a light, flowing dress that is wonderfully elegant and patterned while staying true to herself. I agree with most here that I am unsure of the suede wedges (especially for playing cricket and suede in that hot weather?) I know India has some wonderfully pretty summer sandals that can also be quite formal that would have looked so much more appropriate (and comfortable!) for the setting!!!
I am also wondering if she wouldn’t be awfully warm with her hair down, the longish sleeves and suede wedges?
I agree completely. We have the most beautiful footwear – sandals of all kinds – that can match any occasion. I would have LOVED to see a sandal with this gorgeous dress that was perfect for the weather. (I live in Mumbai, and I went to Oval Maidan and Bangana as a spectator.) She looks even more pretty in person and so very down-to-earth. They are both much more comfortable with ‘regular’ people than with the posh set. I could see that with my own eyes. I think they will enjoy Kaziranga and Bhutan much more than Delhi – things are more relaxed and closer to nature there. Delhi, and Mumbai to a certain extent, is much more about the show of things.
What fun for us to have a firsthand report, thank you!
I thought she’d opt for a high ponytail–very hot and windy when you see the videos. Love the colorful dress and fun earrings. Red-eye flight, hot as Hades, and she can still run around–amazing. William looked a bit wilted in the sun.
Loved the dress, lukewarm on the shoes. While I understand she likes to be tall, and I do think a heel is generally needed with a dress of this length, I can’t imagine jumping and running in high wedges in front of so many cameras!
Shame she did not wear some lovely strappy fashionable sandals that are so on trend at present. Would have looked much nicer than the chunky wedges. Some of the lovely sandals that are around would have balanced this frock well.
Love love this dress! A beautiful colorful print. Such a wonderful change from the solidi colors she normally wears.
I love this look! The colors are very pretty.
Love the dress. The pattern falls in such a pretty way, the colors blend just right. Perfect nod to India and a casual event. Earrings are perfect. She could shorten it and have a casual fun dress for summer, bopping around with friends in Britain. The length is obviously out of respect for the host country.
Wow, I don’t know how she does all those activities in wedges. But if anyone can do it – it’s Kate! I’d be falling flat on my face and begging for a pair of flats! Haha!
Love everything about this dress! The shoes were impractical and I imagine uncomfortable for the lawn games. These colors were great on her, such a great change from the ice blues she wears so much.