There are reminders of Princess Diana at every turn on the royal tour of Pakistan. Later today, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will pay an emotional trip to a cancer hospital in the city of Lahore – the same one Princess Diana visited in the 1990s. This morning they arrived at Lahore Airport and greeted the city’s governor, before they headed to SOS Children’s Village – a charitable organisation that provides homes for 150 orphaned children.
Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital was set up by former cricketer and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan after he lost his mother to cancer. Diana, who was close friends with the PM’s daughter Jemima Khan, visited the hospital in 1996 and 1997 where she met desperately ill children and raised funds for the patients. Today William and Kate will also visit the same ward as Diana, and meet children who are suffering from cancer.
The trip has been framed by Diana’s unforgettable legacy. Imran Khan paid homage to Diana when he met with William and Kate on Tuesday, reminiscing about her visit. Prince William touchingly mentioned his mother’s trip during his speech at the Pakistan memorial on the same evening. On Wednesday, Kate has also paid her respects to Diana, wearing the same traditional Chitral hat that Diana wore in 1991. Even many of the school children who are from a village in Hindu Kush are named after the late princess. Diana also met her great love Hasnat Khan during her trip to Pakistan.
While Diana’s legacy is undeniable, Kate and William are making a mark on their week-long trip. Yesterday they visited the retreating glaciers in the northern district of Chitral, drawing attention to the disastrous impact of climate change.
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