Duchess Of Cambridge: Kate Saves The Best For Last As She Pays Tribute To Bhutan In A Breathtaking Red Dress
The Duchess of Cambridge has marked the royal couple’s final day in Bhutan by appearing in a dazzling red dress. Kate wore the glamorous dress at a reception she attended with Prince William, which was held as a farewell to the Cambridge couple as they leave the kingdom after a short but hectic visit, reported the Daily Mail.
Some video of Kate this evening at a reception in Bhutan #RoyalVisitBhutan pic.twitter.com/7NlpN6w6Jx
— Victoria Murphy (@byQueenVic) April 15, 2016
The floor-length billowy dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge was made even more special because it was decorated with poppies. Blue poppies are the national flower of Bhutan. The beautiful silk dress, of the “‘Juliet'” design, is by Beulah and retails at just over $1,000.
Beulah has a particular meaning for the Duchess of Cambridge because it was set up by a close friend of hers, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs. Lady Natasha is “married to [Kate’s] former boyfriend Rupert Finch.”
The designer, who was born into the aristocracy, is also a friend of the Duke of Cambridge. Lady Isaac’s father is the “Marquess of Reading, is also close to Prince Charles and as a result, Lady Natasha has known Prince William since she was a little girl.”
The royal reception “celebrated Britain’s relationship with Bhutan,” and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met Britons living in the tiny kingdom. The Duke of Cambridge was “devastated” to learn from British pilot Nic Suddards, 56, that he missed the chance to fly a helicopter from Paro airport to Thimphu.“Mr Suddards had brought his helicopter to the airport when the royal plane landed but he didn’t get the chance to show the royals around as they travelled by car to their hotel instead…’I told him that he missed an opportunity because the dual controls were in the aircraft specially for him in the airport and he could have flown it back to Thimphu.'”
Suddards added that the Duke of Cambridge would be sent an “official invitation” to return to Bhutan as a volunteer pilot. The Briton said, “I asked him to come and do some volunteer work here because we do a lot of medical evacuations. He said he would love to…”
The Duchess of Cambridge spoke to Pio Smith, 39, “who has lived in Bhutan since last June when his wife moved to the country for a job with the UN.” Smith said that the Duchess was keen to hear what life was like for children in the tiny kingdom.
“‘She was really interested in hearing about what it was like to raise a family here.'”
It looks like Prince George and Princess Charlotte might accompany the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on a return visit to Bhutan some time in the future.
The gorgeous red dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge was more than just a dazzling piece of clothing, reports The Telegraph. Lady Natasha and her friend Lavinia Brennan actually started the Beulah brand in India, where Kate and William are headed next. Lady Natasha was keen to help women in Delhi who had been victims of sex trafficking. Lavinia and Lady Natasha “set up the label because we saw such power in creating employment opportunities for the women.”“‘Lavinia and I spent two months working in Delhi with women who had been trafficked. We decided to work in an aftercare home about six, seven years ago, and during the afternoons we worked with the women in a production unit teaching them very basic skills. It was there we witnessed the power of employment that can change people’s lives and get them out of poverty, and breaks the cycle of crime.'”
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William have probably the most important day of their tour tomorrow. The royal couple will make their final stop on their week-long tour of India and Bhutan at the Taj Mahal in India. The mausoleum was the setting of one of the most famous photographs of Diana, Princess of Wales, as she sat alone on a stone bench.
[Photo by Pool/Getty Images]