Welcome dance: The couple were greeted by dancers on Tavanipupu"
Best seat: The young Royals sit and watch locals perform during a visit to Tavanipupu Island"
Address: A local addresses the young Royals after they arrived on Tavanipupu. Tonight the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will dine in private on the paradise island"
The elders then asked William to unveil a new coconut tree, which the villagers will plant to commemorate the royal visit.
Then the couple, accompanied by six warriors and the local police chief, climbed into an ornately-decorated dugout war canoe and were rowed across the 100-yard channel dividing Marapa from Tavanipupu. Just as they climbed into the boats, the heavens opened in a brief tropical downpour"
Luxury: The couple will stay in a secluded £780-a-night thatched leaf bungalow with its own private jetty from where they can go sunbathing, snorkelling and canoe paddling"
Tradition: The couple had enjoyed watching a group of nine women perform a traditional water dance involving splashing themselves with water before setting off for the neighbouring islands "
Water dance: The women performed as Kate and William made their way down their way to Marapa and Tavanipupu by boat and canoe"
Out in force: The Royal visit caused great excitement among the islanders, some had trekked up to six hours just to see Kate and Wills"
Among those who were there to see them were, remarkably, a British couple who were stopping off on a round the world tour.
Bill and Sue Redgrove, from Maidstone, Kent, set off from Britain in their 40ft yacht Camomile four years ago, with a plan to spend ten years sailing round the world.
The couple, both aged 54, had no idea the Royal couple were on their way to Marau until locals told them about it a few days before.
Bill and Sue Redgrove, from Maidstone, Kent, set off from Britain in their 40ft yacht Camomile four years ago, with a plan to spend ten years sailing round the world.
The couple, both aged 54, had no idea the Royal couple were on their way to Marau until locals told them about it a few days before.
On her own: Earlier in the day the Duchess had left William's side to attend a Women's Reception at the Leaf House, Commonwealth Youth South Pacific Centre"
Family: Kate revealed how family life was very important to her especially now she was married during a half hour chat with about 40 women from the Young Women's Parliamentary Group"
For me? Kate had moved round the group, spending several minutes with each woman, telling them their cause was 'important'
'We couldn’t believe it when they told us,' said Mrs Redgrove, who had brought the red ensign from their yacht to wave when the couple arrived.
Earlier in the day the Duchess had spoken of the importance of her family with various women's groups on Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands.
Kate revealed how family life was very important to her especially now she was married during a half hour chat with about 40 women from the Young Women's Parliamentary Group which was formed a year ago to help address gender inequality in the country.
Newly-crowned: The Duchess, wearing a £180 bright yellow dress from Jaeger, proudly sports the decorative headpiece given to her by well-wishers"
Heading into the rain: After calling on the Solomon Islands' Prime Minister, the Duke and Duchess visited a cultural village in Honiara"
Host of the session Kristina Sogavare made a speech as Kate arrived, telling the Duchess she was about to meet 'very strong women who have made a difference in the Solomons'.
Earlier she said: 'There are a lot of issues facing women here. There are cultural barriers, this is a male dominated society. Women are seen as daughters, mothers wives and sisters, not the decision-makers.
'We are making some progress but it will take time.'
Emele Duituturange, from the Regional Assistance Mission in the Solomon Islands said Kate was asking how many women were employed in the civi service.
She said: 'I was telling her women have jobs such as the secretaries rather than the ones making the decisions. There were 25 women who stood in the last elections but only one was elected.
Resplendent in yellow: Dressed in the bright yellow sleeves dress and her trusty beige LK Bennett heels, Kate cut a colourful figure"
Royal welcome: Hundreds of people gathered to welcome the young couple as they toured the cultural centre during their nine day tour of the Far East "
Display: The Duke listens intently while the Duchess smiles as a tribal war dance is performed in front of her "
Pan pipe moods: At one hut, a group of traditionally dressed musicians from the Isabel Province played God Save The Queen on their pan pipes"
It's a bit like Morris dancing... The Duke shares a joke with his wife as they watch locals in Honiara perform during their visit"
No comments:
Post a Comment