What happens when British royalty meets Bollywood royalty? We tell all
While we were consumed with the debut of Taher Shah's 'Angel', the other side of the border was buzzing with the news of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s seven-day tour of India and Bhutan.
You know what they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
The couple landed in Mumbai yesterday and visited the iconic Taj Mahal Palace hotel, paying their respects to all those who lost their lives in the 2008 terror attacks that happened there.
Here are some highlights from their trip so far:
1) Starting their trip with a swing and a hit
They then headed to Oval Maiden for a charity cricket match; Kate got some tips from the legends, Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar before stepping up to the pitch.
More power to Kate for doing it dressed in a long Anita Dongre dress and high wedges!
2) Fundraiser with the rich and famous
However, the highlight of the trip so far has been the royal couple’s evening spent with Bollywood’s biggest stars at a charity gala. Now this one was a night to remember.
Kate looked like a true princess in a bespoke Jenny Packham dress, paired with lapis and diamond earrings by Amrapali.
To welcome them, attendees included Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Sonam Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra, to name a few.
Prince William revealed in his speech that this trip had been on the agenda for a while: "When Catherine and I were married, India was the first place on Catherine's list that she told me that she wanted to visit. Two children and five years later, we have finally made it – and we are both honoured to be here."
Mr Khan was so delighted to meet Kate and William he invited them out on the town with him, reports Daily Mail.
Guests at the gala were encouraged to donate to three charities -- Childline India, Magic Bus and Door Step School, all of which help the poorest and most vulnerable children of India, many of whom are living in squalid conditions in the nation's slums.
3) SRK gets starstruck
When asked about his first impression of the Duchess, the king of Bollywood sounded smitten, saying, "Is it okay to say she's extremely beautiful and elegant? Well she is!"
The Dilwale leading man even invited them out for a night on the town: "If they spend more time here I think they'll love it. I could definitely show them a good time! I'll take them out."
4) Day 2 kicks off with inspiring budding innovators
Earlier today, the Highnesses attended an event at Social Offline, a creative, urban cafe space and met young entrepreneurs & business leaders in Mumbai.
Prince William tried the Need for Speed simulator while Kate learnt to type in Braille.
5) What next?
The royal couple had bid adieu to Mumbai for now and is headed to New Delhi.
Another celebration is planned for tonight: a garden party to mark Queen Elizabeth's upcoming 90th birthday. William is to "use the occasion to personally pay tribute to his grandmother with a speech to the invited guests," his spokesman said at the Buckingham Palace briefing.
Also on their itinerary is a tour of the home of Mahatma Gandhi, a safari at the remote Kaziranga National Park and a meeting with the folks running Elephant Family, the elephant sanctuary supported by the family of Prince William's stepmother Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
They will round off their week-long trip with a tour of the Taj Mahal, where William's mother Princess Diana made a famous solo visit in 1992, a month before the announcement of her separation from Prince Charles.