This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36041143
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| William and Kate meet king and queen of Bhutan | William and Kate meet king and queen of Bhutan |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and met the country's young king and queen. | The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and met the country's young king and queen. |
| The royal couple were allowed into the cockpit of their Royal Bhutan Airways chartered jet as it landed at Paro airport - one of the most challenging places to touch down in the world. | The royal couple were allowed into the cockpit of their Royal Bhutan Airways chartered jet as it landed at Paro airport - one of the most challenging places to touch down in the world. |
| They were greeted with a ceremonial scarf by the King of Bhutan's sister. | They were greeted with a ceremonial scarf by the King of Bhutan's sister. |
| Over the next two days the couple will see the famous Tiger's Nest monastery. | Over the next two days the couple will see the famous Tiger's Nest monastery. |
| Prince William and Catherine are in the middle of a seven-day tour of India and Bhutan. | |
| Bhutan: A land of revered royalty, tree-planting and happiness | Bhutan: A land of revered royalty, tree-planting and happiness |
| After the brief ceremonial greeting on the tarmac, the royal couple's convoy of cars snaked its way through steep mountain valleys to the capital. | After the brief ceremonial greeting on the tarmac, the royal couple's convoy of cars snaked its way through steep mountain valleys to the capital. |
| At one point during the journey dozens of schoolchildren lined the road wearing traditional clothes and holding friendship scarves. | At one point during the journey dozens of schoolchildren lined the road wearing traditional clothes and holding friendship scarves. |
| They then met Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 36, and his wife Queen Jetsun Pema - like the Cambridges, a young couple with a family. | |
| They visited an open-air archery venue in the capital Thimphu, where they saw at first hand Bhutan's national sport. | |
| Both Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge tried their hand at firing arrows at a target about 40m away. The couple also tried out khuru, a sport developed by cow herders which involves throwing large darts out of tree branches and bird feathers at targets. | |
| The duchess dressed in a Bhutanese-inspired outfit, with a mauve and blue skirt made from local material and styled on the country's national dress. | |
| The duke and duchess will return to India on Saturday, but over the next few days they will be hosted by Bhutan's royal couple, who are expected to name their first child - a boy - at the weekend. | The duke and duchess will return to India on Saturday, but over the next few days they will be hosted by Bhutan's royal couple, who are expected to name their first child - a boy - at the weekend. |
| They are also to have a private audience with the king and queen, as well as a dinner together at Lingkana Palace. | |
| During their visit, the Cambridges will also trek up a mountain to visit the Tiger's Nest monastery. Perched at an altitude of 3,000m, the sacred site was built in 1692. | |
| Prince William's father, the Prince of Wales, had planned to make the same hike in 1998 but became injured after a polo match - he stopped before the ascent and painted a scenic watercolour picture. | |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt | By BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt |
| The descent into Paro by plane, which has to navigate a mountainside, is not for the faint-hearted. | The descent into Paro by plane, which has to navigate a mountainside, is not for the faint-hearted. |
| William and Kate are entering a once-isolated land. | William and Kate are entering a once-isolated land. |
| Tourists could only visit from the 1970s; TV was introduced in the 1990s; and this former absolute monarchy became a constitutional one with an elected government in 2008. | Tourists could only visit from the 1970s; TV was introduced in the 1990s; and this former absolute monarchy became a constitutional one with an elected government in 2008. |
| Bhutan is a Buddhist country with an emphasis on gross national happiness rather than its gross domestic product. | Bhutan is a Buddhist country with an emphasis on gross national happiness rather than its gross domestic product. |
| However, the country's prime minister has acknowledged that this much-lauded concept can be overused, and can mask the kingdom's problems with debt, unemployment and poverty. | However, the country's prime minister has acknowledged that this much-lauded concept can be overused, and can mask the kingdom's problems with debt, unemployment and poverty. |
| For two days the Cambridges will be guests of a young king and queen that are held in high regard by their subjects. | For two days the Cambridges will be guests of a young king and queen that are held in high regard by their subjects. |
| They'll learn how Bhutan - which once revelled in its remoteness - is now facing the challenge of how to retain its Buddhist traditions while also embracing the modern world. | They'll learn how Bhutan - which once revelled in its remoteness - is now facing the challenge of how to retain its Buddhist traditions while also embracing the modern world. |
| Read more from Peter | Read more from Peter |
| During the first leg of their tour in India, they met survivors of 2008's Mumbai attacks and fed orphaned baby rhinos and elephants at a wildlife park in Assam. | |
| On Wednesday, the pair toured Kaziranga National Park in the state of Assam in an open-topped 4x4, catching sight of elephants, monkeys and a monitor lizard. | On Wednesday, the pair toured Kaziranga National Park in the state of Assam in an open-topped 4x4, catching sight of elephants, monkeys and a monitor lizard. |
| They later visited a village on the edge of the park to find out how villagers live side-by-side with the wild animals. | They later visited a village on the edge of the park to find out how villagers live side-by-side with the wild animals. |