The Princess of Wales made a surprise solo visit to Leicester on Thursday, celebrating the culture and heritage of the British-Indian community following the Hindu spring festival of Holi. Kate, 44, was dressed in a cream jacket and matching coat, and was presented with a red flower garland upon arrival. 'Thank you so much for having me. I'm looking forward to seeing some of the work I've heard some fantastic things,' she said.
Her itinerary began at the Aakash Odedra dance company, founded in 2011 by award-winning choreographer Aakash Odedra, which now sees more than 1,000 people each week participate in its learning programmes. She viewed a rehearsal of the company's latest work, 'Songs of the Bulbul', an interpretation of an ancient Sufi story about a songbird perishing from despair.
Kate then visited family-run businesses on Leicester's famous Golden Mile, a vibrant hub of South Asian culture on Belgrave Road. She stopped at a sari shop called Ladlees, remarking, 'There's a real celebration of colour, isn't there,' before crossing the road to Bobby's restaurant to taste chai. During the afternoon tea, she admitted she loves coriander and is 'ok' with spicy food.
In the afternoon, the Princess visited Shreeji Dham Haveli, a Hindu temple dedicated to the teachings of Shrimad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji. She went barefoot and joyfully took part in a traditional dance. Her husband, the Prince of Wales, was in Cornwall for St Piran's Day, but the couple had jointly visited Wales the previous week.
Kate's return to royal duties continues gradually after she revealed she was in remission from cancer in January. She underwent chemotherapy in 2024 following a diagnosis earlier that year.
