It’s a Mix of New and Old for Climate and Cultural Engagements

The Duchess mixed new and older pieces for today’s visit to Chitral on Day 3 of the Pakistan Tour. Below, the couple as they arrived at Chitral Airport in the Hindu Kush mountains, located in the northernmost part of the country near the border with Afganistan. 

A video of the Duke and Duchess arriving from Emily Andrews of The Sun.

Video: William gets a right royal welcome at Chitral airport in the Hindu Khush – to Kate’s delight! ?❄️ pic.twitter.com/fbidSduOpX

— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) October 16, 2019

The focus of the day’s engagements was climate change and its impact on local communities. Upon arrival at the airport, the royals were welcomed with traditional items of embroidered jackets and Chitrali hats. Kate also received a soft camel-colored scarf, which you can see in the image below, draped over her shoulder.

A look at the Duchess in the beautifully embroidered piece. 

Below, Kate wearing the traditional hat adorned with peacock feathers.

More from Hello’s coverage:

During her visit in 1991, Princess Diana was made an honorary member of the Chitral Scouts’ elite corps, posing for photographs wearing a regimental embroidered coat and feathered cap they presented her with.

Elliot Wagland shared a photo of Princess Diana in the style during her visit in 1991.

Rebecca English has more in her Daily Mail story about Diana’s visit.

“During their visit near the border with Afghanistan, they spoke with Diana – a young woman from the local area who was named after William’s mother the Princess of Wales – whose grandmother travelled to Chitral to meet the princess on her visit in 1991.

‘Princess Diana was visiting at around the time she was born, which is why she got named Diana,’ a translator said. ‘And now her son is now William. Her grandmother went to meet Princess Diana in Chitral, her mum was unable to travel because she was expecting her.’

William was also given a book of photos from his mother’s 1991 visit. More from Gulf News:

The British Royal couple was surprised when they received the photo album and a book of Princess Diana’s visit to Chitral.

““Fantastic,” the prince remarked as he sifted through the pages of the book.

The Duke and Duchess then visited the Chiatibo Glacier.

More from the BBC’s coverage:

Global warming has seen the Chiatibo Glacier in Broghil National Park retreat by some 10 metres a year due to higher temperatures melting the ice.

The first threat from the glacier melting is flooding to communities down stream, while the second is removing the water supply completely – which provides for 200 million people in Pakistan.

Below you see the royals speaking with glacial expert Dr. Furrikh Bashir.

Hello! noted in its story that “William and Kate, who had never seen a melting glacier in person, then walked around the northern tip of the remote Chiatibo Glacier, and saw how it has retreated in recent years as a result of global warming.”

Another view. 

William spoke about the issue with the media. We have more via this Telegraph story:

“Catherine and I felt it was very important to come to Pakistan and see the different range of environments there are and, and really try and get a feel of the country,” he said, in an on-camera interview.

“But also to use our voice and lend our position and our visit to kind of talk about issues like climate change, issues about the environment.

The Telegraph also noted that William said, “Dr. Warren, my geography teacher, would be well impressed that I’m back at a glacier after all these years.” One of the things the couple heard about is the way climate change is causing floods from melting glaciers. 

The couple then visited Bumburet, a community hugely impacted by such flooding in 2015. Above and below, the couple walks among the rubble left behind after those 2015 floods. 

The 2015 event is called a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). Below, William and Kate are welcomed to the village. 

The royals heard from survivors of the 2015 flood. 

From the Daily Mail’s coverage:

Local Arab Gul, 28, an archaeologist, said: ‘I left in 2015 just before the flood and when I came back from university in Islamabad I couldn’t believe it was the same village. Everything had disappeared: lands, houses, everything was washed away.

Pacha Bibi, 31, a mother of four, added: ‘During the floor everything washed away in our Kalash community. We had no meals to eat, no electricity. We were faced with many difficulties

‘We were moved to safe areas but we were still afraid again that it would happen. I feel myself that still now we are not safe in this area.’

Volunteers from the local Emergency Response Team performed the drill showing how someone would be evacuated across a river. 

The final stop of the day for the Duke and Duchess was the settlement of Karakal. 

The couple was there to meet members of the Kalash and Sunni communities.  

The Telegraph reports, “The whole village had turned out to meet the couple, who were clapped and cheered as they walked up through the narrow streets and into the open square.”

The Telegraph piece goes on to note that, “William was given a traditional Chitrali hat which he immediately put on and Kate an orange beaded headdress with a pink feather, which she put on after checking with her host Shahira Bibi to ensure she had it on correctly.” 

A little adjustment. 

Here is a better view of Shahira Bib, shown on the left. 

The NY Times reports: “The Kalash people, who number about 4,000, claim to be descendants of Alexander the Great and worship their own gods.” 

Getty also notes the Kalash “….are connected to the rest of Pakistan by a single road.”

William and Kate learned about the community’s unique crafts and culture.

More about the community via this Architectural Digest story:

The Kalash people live primarily in three neighboring mountain valleys— Bumburet, Rumbur, and Birir—and largely live off the land, growing sheet, maize, apples, apricots, walnuts, and grapes (for wine), among other crops.

Emily Andrews tweeted photos of some of the younger people. 

The royals watched a traditional dance in the village’s amphitheater.

The Duke and Duchess. 

Kensington Palace tweeted a quick video of the dancing.

Thank you to the Kalash people in Chitral for the wonderful welcome for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today! #RoyalVisitPakistan pic.twitter.com/XNlKuZ2WUd

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 16, 2019

 

Kate seemed to enjoy herself thoroughly. 

Emily Andrews shared a video of Kate speaking with their hosts.

Video: Kate learned how to say “hello” in Kalasha (“ishpata”) and had a go at thank you too. The people were so incredibly friendly & welcoming but climate change is really affecting them. Their village was destroyed by floods 5 yrs ago & they worry it’ll happen again. pic.twitter.com/oHfKSQx9K6

— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) October 16, 2019

 

Another view of the Duchess. 

Photos from today were stunning. 

Now our look at what Kate wore, a mix of old and new pieces.

The Duchess was in her Really Wild nubuck waistcoat(£495 / $531). The piece is made in the UK of leather with a three-button front, along with “carefully placed side panels and deep bellow pockets in contrasting leather, as well as an adjustable waistband so you can wear it nipped in, or not.” 

We first saw Kate in the piece for her visit with children from Expanding Horizons primary school in June 2012 and again in April 2016 for the couple’s Himalayan hike during the Royal Tour of Bhutan.

Beneath the vest, the Duchess wore what looked like a brown shirt. But after much searching by the ID experts, it turns out Kate may have had on a dress by Mint Velvet. A Tip of the Tiara to ace IDer Bojanana for making the connection. 

Bojanana pointed out the ‘top’ looked very much like the Mint Velvet Chocolate Utility Shirtdress ($144).  The collar looks the same, as do the placement and flaps of the pockets, as well as the button near Kate’s elbow for the sleeve tab. 

While it seems an odd thing to wear under a skirt, I’m not sure the Duchess didn’t have it dramatically shortened. Or, she may have simply wanted an extra layer for the trip to the mountains where it is much cooler. It’s also possible Mint Velvet was asked to create a one-off piece. (The piece is still available in limited sizes at Next.)

Neither the skirt or the belt has been identified.

Here is a closer look at the detail work on the jacket as well as the ivory shawl or scarf the Duchess was given at the Chitral Airport. Emily Andrews noted on Twitter that “The scarf Kate is wearing was given to her in Chitral by the Scout leader of the local area-echoing Kate’s association with the Scouts in the UK.”

And here is better detail of the headwear Kate was given today in Karakal. 

Many immediately recognized Kate’s oft-worn Spanish Boots in chocolate suede ($327), also from Really Wild.

The Duchess’s earrings are from London-based jeweler, Missoma. They are the Zenyu chandelier hoops ($149), described as echoing “….Colombia’s rich artistry and heritage with a modern edge. Bobble-trimmed charms are suspended from dainty hoops in a brushed-gold finish.”

The earrings are 18K gold plate on brass. Many thanks to Emily (@emgcollins) and Christin (@packhamgown) for the earring ID!

Many thanks to Susan Courter, my partner at What Meghan Wore, and Carly of Kate Middleton Style for their contributions to the post!

VIDEOS:

This Sky News piece from Rhiannon Mills is 2:20 and has footage from all of the day’s activities.

This Royal Family Channel piece is mostly focused on the glacier and the Bumburet flooding.

A second Royal Family Channel video features the visit with the Kalash people.

This Global News story runs almost 3 minutes and covers the Kalash visit.

LINKAGE:

• The UK government’s coverage of the day’s activities is here
• The Telegraph’s story is here; the BBC story is here; a Daily Express piece is here; Rebecca English’s Daily Mail piece is here
• a Hello story is here; a Harper’s Bazaar article is here; the Fug Girls post is here