Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Pakistan this autumn, Kensington Palace has announced. The news follows confirmation that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will visit southern Africa this autumn with baby Archie.
According to the palace, the official visit is at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; it will be the first royal visit to the country in 13 years.
While this is a first visit for William and Kate, it is not the first official visit to Pakistan for British royals. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have all visited on a number of occasions.
The Queen's first visit was in February 1961, hosted by President Ayub Khan. The Queen is seen here attending a state banquet at the President's House in Karachi:
Her second visit was in October of 1997, hosted by President Leghari. During the visit she met members of the Pakistan cricket team at the Rawalpindi cricket ground:
In November 2006, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visited the country. As part of their trip, they toured the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore:
Prince William's mother, Princess Diana, also visited the country a number of times in the mid-1990s.
High Commissioner for Pakistan, Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, said of the upcoming visit in a statement: "The government and the people of Pakistan warmly welcome the announcement of the royal visit by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Pakistan this year.
"The people of Pakistan still cherish and fondly recall the visits of Her Majesty The Queen to Pakistan during 1961 and 1997. The upcoming royal visit is a reflection of the importance the United Kingdom attaches to its relations with Pakistan. The two countries enjoy historical links which both sides wish to strengthen further."
