Kate and William ended their successful tour to Pakistan on Friday afternoon, after having travelled for five days across the country and strengthened the relationship between London and Islamabad. Just 18 days ago, Prince Harry and Meghan also concluded their tour to Africa, a whirlwind trip that saw the Duke of Sussex retracing the steps of his mother Princess Diana in Angola while the Duchess was working at causes close to her heart. These two tours have been marked by a different approach from the two couples of royals, according to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams. 

While Meghan and Harry had a more informal, down to earth and relaxed approach to the tour and expressed the wish to meet as many people as possible while in Africa, Kate and William had to follow the royal protocol in a stricter way because they are closer in line to the throne than the Sussexes, the royal expert said.

He told Express.co.uk: “The care with which the tour to Pakistan has been choreographed has only been matched by the enormity of the security operation which was involved in preparing for it.

“Obviously William and Kate as the future King and Queen Consort are far more formal than Harry and Meghan.

“However imaginative touches have abounded.” 

Mr Fitzwilliams believes Kate and William still found a way to give the tour a more personal feel while respecting the protocol they must abide by.

He continued: “The colourful auto-rickshaw in which they travelled to a reception in Islamabad, the meeting where William was reunited with Prime Minister Imran Khan, the former cricketer who had told him and his mother of his political ambitions in London in 1996 and some fun on the cricket pitch, all these were memorable touches.

“The excellence of the organisation was highlighted by impromptu arrangements when bad weather forced their flight to divert back to Lahore where they had spent the day.

“Then there was the fashion where Kate’s outfits seemed exquisitely appropriate for each occasion and included a homage to Diana on arrival with an outfit designed by Catherine Walker.

“William made headlines wearing traditional dress going to the evening reception in Islamabad.

“Later both wore feathered Chitrali headgear as Diana once had.

“This aspect of the tour has been sensational.

“William spoke of the urgency of combating climate change after their trip to see the melting glaciers in the mountain ranges of Pakistan.

“Kate also spoke about the importance of family to give children a fairer chance in life.

“They also visited the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre Diana where she so famously comforted sick children. 

“So important messages were conveyed as intended as well.”

The royal expert believes the tour, which he labelled “an undoubted success”, was “always going to be high profile” thanks to its itinerary, which heavily followed in the footsteps of Princess Diana, who travelled to Pakistan on behalf of the Crown twice, in 1991 and 1996.

However, royal aides were left “baffled and infuriated” on Friday, as the tour to Pakistan was ending, fearing the work done by Kate and William in the country may be “overshadowed” by Harry and Meghan’s tell-all documentary. 

On that day, two clips from Harry & Meghan: An African Journey were released, where the Sussexes voiced their emotions and pain.

One senior figure told the Evening Standard aides were “baffled and infuriated”, adding: “This move has certainly overshadowed the Pakistan visit and what has been achieved here during the last few days, as well as a lot of work by an awful lot of dedicated people here on the ground as well as back home for months.”

The documentary will air tonight at 9 on ITV and on Wednesday on ABC.      

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