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Duke and Duchess of Cambridge landed in Mumbai this morning to begin their seven-day tour of India and Bhutan



Glitz and the glamour: Dressed to impress for a glittering Bollywood gala, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are tonight gearing up for a dinner with a feast of Indian entertainment with singers, dancers and even a nod to fashion



Kate dazzled in a beaded colbat blue gown after sticking with one of her favourite designers, Jenny Packham, but the outfit was especially beaded in India in honour of their royal tour to the country and had an exquisite matching cape.


The Duchess of Cambridge, right, speaks with Bollywood royalty Shah Rukh Khan, second left, who has been called the 'King of Bollywood' and Aishwarya Rai, known as India's answer to Angelina Jolie.


Prince William also took the time to speak to the Bollywood heavyweights, with Shah Rukh Khan a veteran of more than 80 films.


More than 200 of India's top film, sport and business figures are attending. Among the Bollywood stars present are Rishi Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan and Farhan Akhtar.





The event is being thrown by The British High Commission in partnership with the British Asian Trust and the Taj Mahal Palace hotel.


As well as providing a warm welcome to Their Royal Highness's on their first evening in India, the reception has been designed to raise money for three organisations doing remarkable work with vulnerable children in Mumbai and across India.


Fundraiser: Tonight the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are attending a glittery Bollywood gala dinner – with singers, dancers and even a nod to fashion – at The Taj Palace to raise money for the charities and children they met earlier in the day.


Very sporty: First she slugged a ball from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and now the Duchess of Cambridge has been showing off her football skills as she and Prince William toured Mumbai's slums this afternoon.



Two extremes: Located in the Malabar Hill area of Mumbai, it is home to more than 10,000 people who live in 1,500 tiny breezeblock two-storey huts crammed into narrow alleyways beside one of the wealthiest districts of the city of 20 million.







The royal couple chose to visit the slum to meet representatives of a charity called SMILE that focuses on giving skills and opportunities to young people and their parents.



In the dusty square, as residents sought vantage points from upstairs windows, William and Kate met some of SMILE's success stories.


William and Kate were shown around the area by Anaxi Shah, founder of SMILE, which runs 14 schools and women's empowerment projects across several areas in south Mumbai.


At the water tank, the couple were welcomed by children dancing and playing lezim steel drums. The couple were each given a tika traditional welcome spot on their foreheads and then scattered petals in a banyan leaf in the water tank as an offering.


Bang means arrow and Ganga is holy water in Hindi. In Hindu folklore, the borehole, a declared national heritage site forming of the Walkeshwar temple complex, was created when Lord Rama shot an arrow into the ground to find drinking water for his wife Sita.








Energetic: Kate also took part in a number of drills with children from non-governmental organisations Magic Bus, Childline and Doorstep.


William and Kate have been meeting some of the city's many thousands of street children and a number of the charities helping them.




Out! Kate's joy was short-lived as she found herself caught out off the bowling of Sachin Tendulkar (pictured centre) - India's former captain - at Mumbai's iconic Oval Maidan recreation ground in the south of the city.


Looking relaxed: After leaving their hotel, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge headed to Mumbai's Oval Maidan, a Grade 1 recreation ground in the south of the city for a game of cricket with some of the city's many thousands of street children.




Taking part: Kate was pictured having a bat as she enjoyed a game of cricket on Mumbai's iconic recreation ground, Oval Maidan, today.



High praise: Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (pictured left) later said of the Duchess: 'She batted, she fielded, she did everything!'



Kate followed William throwing herself around the pitch – and even managed to jump over plastic cones in her towering nude wedges.





Paying tribute: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge laid a wreath at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, the scene of the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. The couple arrived in Mumbai this morning for their first royal tour as a couple for almost two years.


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pause to remember those who lost their lives in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks at the Taj Palace.


Namaste! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel as they begin their Tour of India and Bhutan in Mumbai.


Grand building: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have turned down the chance to stay in the Taj Palace hotel's grand presidential suite – a room reserved for visiting royalty, world leaders or members of the Tata family. The Taj Palace hotel in Mumbai is pictured.






Raring to go: Prince William gets out of a car as he and Kate arrive at the Taj Palace hotel in Mumbai to start their seven-day tour of India.

Source - Dailymail.co.uk

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