Come spring, and get ready for the royal treatment. It's British royals rendezvous with Bhutanese royals.
Britain's Prince William and wife Kate Middleton will undertake their first official visit to Bhutan in the early half of this year, to coincide with their tour of India.
William and Kate will meet Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pemaa, who got married in 2011. They are expecting their first child early this year.
The visit announced by Kensington Palace could take place any time between March end and mid-June.
The announcement signals a return to fuller public schedule for Kate, who kept things relatively low-key last year before and after the birth of her daughter Princess Charlotte.
William and Kate's India visit was announced on November 13, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Queen Elizabeth II over tea at Buckingham Palace.
The royal couple are unlikely to take their children – Prince George and Princess Charlotte – with them to the Himalayan Kingdom.
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will make an official visit to Bhutan this spring. The visit is being carried out at the request of Her Majesty's Government and will be the first time their Royal Highnesses have visited the country,” a Kensington Palace statement said.
William and Kate, who turned 34 on January 9, have much to learn about Bhutan's history and etiquette. The Himalayan Kingdom was isolated for centuries, shunning foreign influences. The sale of tobacco is still banned.
It was 24 years ago when Princess Diana and Prince Charles visited India. At the time cracks in their marriage were beginning to show, but William and Kate, who seem happier than ever, are set to enjoy a right royal tour of the Himalayan Kingdom.
