Kate Middleton & Prince William Visit Singapore, Admire Flowers
After more than a year since their epic trip through Canada and California, Kate Middleton and Prince William have finally set off on their 9-day royal tour of southeast Asia and the South Pacific to continue Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebration.
Their first stop to ease the couple back into royal tour life after their 14-hour flight was Singapore's botanical gardens. But when you're a royal, you don't just look at flowers like the commoners -- you get one named after you. Will and Kate were welcomed into the country by having an orchid, the national flower of Singapore, named after them and placed in the VIP Orchid Garden reserved for visiting heads of states and international dignitaries.
They're not the first British royals to receive an orchid in the exclusive garden though. The Dendrobium Queen Elizabeth II was named after HRH's visit in 1972 and the Dendrobium Memoria Princess Diana was named for the late Princess Diana. The couple made sure to view both of these flowers during their visit.
So what does one wear to have an orchid named after them? The Duchess of Cambridge, always one to dress appropriately for the occasion, opted for a kimono-style Jenny Packham dress. In a not-so-subtle nod to her locale, the pale pink ensemble featured a delicate orchid pattern. And since looking jet-lagged with flat hair isn't very duchess-like, Kate had her new personal hairdresser in tow to make sure she has the perfect bouncy hair for every appearance (he even styled her hair half up, half down -- a look we seldom see on the duchess). But the real question is: will Kate continue to theme dress throughout the royal tour? Should we expect grass skirts in Tuvalu and sarees in Malaysia?
Check out photos from Kate and Will's first stop on their Diamond Jubilee royal tour below.
Their first stop to ease the couple back into royal tour life after their 14-hour flight was Singapore's botanical gardens. But when you're a royal, you don't just look at flowers like the commoners -- you get one named after you. Will and Kate were welcomed into the country by having an orchid, the national flower of Singapore, named after them and placed in the VIP Orchid Garden reserved for visiting heads of states and international dignitaries.
They're not the first British royals to receive an orchid in the exclusive garden though. The Dendrobium Queen Elizabeth II was named after HRH's visit in 1972 and the Dendrobium Memoria Princess Diana was named for the late Princess Diana. The couple made sure to view both of these flowers during their visit.
So what does one wear to have an orchid named after them? The Duchess of Cambridge, always one to dress appropriately for the occasion, opted for a kimono-style Jenny Packham dress. In a not-so-subtle nod to her locale, the pale pink ensemble featured a delicate orchid pattern. And since looking jet-lagged with flat hair isn't very duchess-like, Kate had her new personal hairdresser in tow to make sure she has the perfect bouncy hair for every appearance (he even styled her hair half up, half down -- a look we seldom see on the duchess). But the real question is: will Kate continue to theme dress throughout the royal tour? Should we expect grass skirts in Tuvalu and sarees in Malaysia?
Check out photos from Kate and Will's first stop on their Diamond Jubilee royal tour below.