Prince William, Kate arrive in Mumbai, pay tribute to 26/11 victims

Mumbai: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived in Mumbai on their first visit to India and paid tribute to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

The royal couple, who landed in Mumbai shortly before noon, visited the 26/11 memorial at the Taj Palace Hotel here. They laid a wreath at the memorial and also spoke to the hotel staff who were present when the iconic hotel was attacked in November 2008.

The hotel overlooks the Gateway of India, built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Mumbai in 1911. The royal couple arrived here on a seven-day tour of India and Bhutan, aimed at building up strong bonds with the two countries.

They later headed to the Oval Maidan to watch and take part in a cricket match between beneficiaries and representatives of three charities based in Mumbai, Magic Bus, Doorstep, and India's Childline.

In the evening, they will attend a glittering reception and dinner alongside some of the biggest names in business and Bollywood, to celebrate Mumbai's film and creative industries.

They will go to Delhi on Monday and begin their tour there by paying respects to India's military contributions and honour the memory of Mahatma Gandhi. The royal couple will visit the Taj Mahal which Prince William's mother late Princess Diana visited 24 years ago.

"Twenty four years on from her visit to the Taj, The Duke and The Duchess are looking forward to seeing this beautiful place for themselves and creating some new memories as they say thank you to the people of India at the conclusion of their tour," a release said.

The couple will also visit Kaziranga National Park in Assam where they will find out more about the role of conservation in the lives of rural people there. The royal couple are interested in seeing how communities manage the conflicts that arise when humans and wild animals live in close proximity. They will also meet park rangers inside Kaziranga to discuss how they protect the animal population from poachers, as demand for rhino horns continues to rise in other parts of Asia.

They will then fly to Bhutan to learn about the beautiful, mountainous country that has famously prioritised the happiness of its people above all other national goals.

Lunch with Modi

After the cricket, William and Kate will visit the ancient Banganga Tank, part of a temple complex and a hugely significant site in Hindu mythology, where makeshift homes sit beneath luxury skyscrapers in the plush Malabar Hill district.

In the evening they will schmooze with Bollywood film stars and leading lights from the Indian business community at a glittering red-carpet event at the luxury Taj Mahal Palace hotel.

"The Duke and Duchess are very much looking forward to the tour," Kensington Palace, the official residence of the royal couple, tweeted on Friday.

William, 33, who is second in line to the throne behind his father Prince Charles, and Kate, 34, will wrap up their Mumbai stay on Monday morning by meeting young entrepreneurs.

They then head to Delhi where they will have lunch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among other events, before heading to Assam and Bhutan and finishing their trip in Agra.

"This will be the one of the most ambitious tours their Royal Highnesses have ever undertaken and promises to be the most colourful tour to date," British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said in a statement Friday.