NEW DELHI: “I’m here in my status as a groupie,” said the seasoned African diplomat as she stood in the long queue of people waiting to greet Prince William and his wife Katherine Middleton.
AJAY AGGARWAL/HT PHOTOBritain’s Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, Katherine Middleton, during their visit to the India Gate on Monday.That summed up the tone of the reception organised at the British high commissioner’s official residence on Monday evening for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The invitation letter stated “No photographs please” but that didn’t deter those in the queue from whipping out their smartphones as the royal couple emerged from high commissioner-designate Dominic Asquith’s residence. There were few complaints from the men and women, attired in heavy saris and dark suits, even though they had waited from almost an hour-and-ahalf to get a glimpse of the couple.
Prince William, second in line to succeed his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and a pilot in the Royal Air Force, stopped at the head of the queue to speak to an aviator from the Indian Navy. What he was most interested in knowing was what sort of aircraft the officer flew.
The soundtrack was a curious amalgam of folk music by a troupe from Rajasthan and brass-laden tunes from the James Bond movies by the Royal Air Force band. Many tapped their feet as the music shifted from “Dama Dam Mast Qalandar” to the theme from “You Only Live Twice”.
Prince William endeared himself to the audience when he made a brief speech at the event, which also was a celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday next week. “It’s important that everyone here tonight understands that I’m here as the Queen’s representative. She may be my grandmother but she’s also very much the boss,” he said, drawing peals of laughter.