British royal couple to start first India visit in Mumbai

Mumbai, Feb 29: Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton will arrive here on April 10 for their first ever visit to India, an official statement said on Monday.

They would experience a variety of aspects of contemporary Indian life, focusing on young people, sport, entrepreneurship, Indian efforts to relieve urban poverty, the creative arts, and rural life in India, the statement said.

After their stay in Mumbai, the royal couple, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will travel on April 11 to New Delhi.

They will be in Assam on April 12 and 13 to visit the Kaziranga National Park and pay tribute to the rural traditions of the communities who live around the park.

The royal couple will travel on April 14 to the neighbouring Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and return on April 16 to Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal, a Unesco World Heritage monument, in conclusion of their two-nation tour.

"Their visit to India will be an introduction to a country that they plan to build an enduring relationship with. They will pay tribute to India's proud history, but also are keen to understand the hopes and aspirations of young Indian people and the major role they will play in shaping the 21st century," said a Kensington Palace spokesperson.

A qualified pilot, Prince William, 33, is the elder son of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and the late Princess Diana, and is the second in line to succeed his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II to the British throne.

IANS