Kate Middleton Visits Mosque With Pakistani Dress & Headscarf Designed For Her

Image via Bart Lenoir / Shutterstock.com

Kate Middleton and Prince William are on tour in Pakistan, and the Duchess of Cambridge has been fashionably respectful to the country’s heritage as she travels around in ethnic wear.

One notable ensemble was the bespoke outfit, created for her by Pakistani fashion designer Maheen Khan, that she donned when visiting the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore on Thursday.

The exquisite green and gold shalwar kameez, a national dress of Pakistan and various South Asian countries that usually features a tunic and trousers, was paired with a matching scarf-like garment called a dupatta around Middleton’s head.

“I love the grace with which HRH Princess Kate carries the dupatta. She looks so comfortable,” the designer later tweeted. Some of her other pieces, including a blue kurta, were also donned by the Duchess earlier during the trip.

The royal couple visited the mosque to not only take in the country’s culture, but also to discuss with religious leaders about bringing people together. Iona Thomas, political councillor at the British High Commission, said that the Duke “asked quite a lot of questions” about how religious tolerance could be practiced and improved.

Fakir Aijazuddin, Lahore’s Honorary British Consul, summed up their visit as “joy,” and commended that the couple “radiated joy” wherever they stepped foot on, to which Prince William responded, “We are very happy people.”

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It was another exquisite look by @maheenofficial for The Duchess as she visited the iconic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore today. The Duchess wore an off-the-rack turquoise french chiffon shalwar kameez which she picked up from @onitaalondon’s Chelsea store, according to People’s Monique Jessen, who spoke to the store owner. It is hand embroidered in gold-colored silk by the tribespeople of Swat in Pakistan. The outfit features phulkari (meaning ‘flower work’) embroidery which is a craft and a pattern of geometrics prevalant in Chitral, where the couple visited yesterday. The designer had a bespoke dupatta/scarf made to match. Maheen Khan is available exclusively at O’nitaa London, the same place Kate bought her gold earrings and William bought his traditional sherwani. “Normally this would take about three months to make because of all the intricate embroidery,” explains Prasada, the O’nitaa store owner in an interview for People. “I am elated and after 40 years of experience, this has probably been my defining moment. The phones have not stopped ringing, but we are so happy.” The Duchess wore her @catherinezoraida gold fern hoop earrings and for the visit to the hospital she put back on her @jcrew heels. It’s difficult to determine if they are the ‘Lucie’ (which come in two shades of ‘Ashen Brown’) or the ‘Colette’ pair as they are so similar (see second slide). They sell for £246. Today’s ensembles have to be my favourite yet! 🇵🇰

A post shared by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge (@katemidleton) on Oct 17, 2019 at 11:51am PDT


The duchess has changed into a green Shalwar kameez by Maheen Khan for her visit to the Badshahi mosque in #Lahore #RoyalsVisitPakistan #Pakistan_LandOfPeace @PTIofficial pic.twitter.com/GVvvXQyMjK
— MARY... THE IRISH INSAFIAN (@IRISHINSAFIAN) October 17, 2019

She looks beautiful today. Lovely colour choice Maheen ♥️ #BadshahiMosque #RoyalVisitPakistan #RoyaltourPakistan pic.twitter.com/IpEe6Yz4p5
— Asma Ali Zain (@asmaalizain) October 17, 2019

Kate and William at the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, a stunning example of Moghal architecture 🕌and part of the ancient walled city. Kate in another stunning @Maheenkhanpk shalwar kameez pic.twitter.com/9t4S0SAnwW
— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) October 17, 2019

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The Duke & Duchess are in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, today where they are visiting the Islamabad Model College for Girls to highlight the importance of education for girls and see the effects of the ‘Teach for Pakistan’ scheme which helps disadvantaged children. The following engagement will see them joining school children in the Margalla Hills in the foothills of the Himalayas. The Duke & Duchess will then meet President Arif Alvi and the Prime Minister Imran Khan. This evening the couple will attend a reception hosted by British High Commissioner Thomas Drew at the National Monument in Islamabad. ——— The Duchess is wearing a shalwar kameez by local designer Maheen Khan today.

A post shared by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge (@katemidleton) on Oct 14, 2019 at 10:59pm PDT




[via Harper’s Bazaar, images via various sources]