The Prince and Princess of Wales will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday, after Kensington Palace adjusted their schedule for the bilateral meeting during their three-day visit to Mumbai.
The couple arrive in India on Monday for their first joint foreign trip in almost three years, and the princess's first long-haul visit since her cancer diagnosis. The visit is primarily centred on the prince's annual Earthshot Prize Awards and marks their first return to India since their last official visit in 2016.
Fond memories and an important moment
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: "They had such incredibly fond memories of their last visit and returning a decade later makes the week all the more special."
The meeting with Prime Minister Modi is billed as "an important moment" of the trip, showcasing William's role as a global statesman in strengthening ties between the UK and India. The spokesperson added: "The United Kingdom and India share one of the most important international relationships, with deep and growing connections across trade, investment, defence, security, technology, education and culture."
"And this meeting reflects the importance of that relationship, as well as the role Their Royal Highnesses can play in celebrating and strengthening the ties between our two countries."
Earthshot Prize highlights the visit
Prime Minister Modi will return from the ASEAN-India Summit in Manila, the Philippines, for the meeting. William last met Modi in 2016, but the Indian Prime Minister maintains a warm relationship with the prince and the King, who hosted Modi at Sandringham last summer.
The rest of the Wales's trip centres on the Earthshot Prize, described as "the biggest and most ambitious" yet. The couple are expected to meet Bollywood stars, celebrate India's passion for cricket, and the highlight will be Tuesday's Earthshot Prize Awards night, when winners in five categories will each receive £1 million.
Princess's pride in Earthshot
It is the first time Catherine has attended her husband's environmental award since Boston in December 2022. The spokesperson said: "The Princess is enormously proud of what The Prince has achieved with Earthshot and is really looking forward to being alongside him for what is one of the most important moments in his year."
"She's seen it develop into something truly remarkable, and is excited to experience first-hand just how far it has come." The Earthshot project is halfway through its decades-long cycle to recognise and reward ideas to help "repair" the planet, with events already staged in London, Singapore, Cape Town, Boston and Rio de Janeiro.
