Swept away by romance! Duchess Kate got “emotional” while visiting the Taj Mahal with Prince William as the last stop of their India-Bhutan tour on Saturday, April 16.
The royal couple listened intently as their tour guide, Rizwan Mohammed, explained the story behind the building of the iconic monument, and the Duchess of Cambridge, 34, was particularly touched by it, Mohammed told Us Weekly’s European bureau chief, Omid Scobie.
“[She got] quite emotional when she came to know that the queen died at the very young age,” Mohammed, 35, said. “She said, ‘She really deserves this kind of building as they were madly in love with each other,’” he said of Kate’s reaction to the story of Shah Jahan’s gift of the beautiful palace to wife Mumtaz. “The prince was laughing.”
Mohammed also noted that the feeling during the couple’s visit was a “romantic” one, especially given that the pair are about to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary on April 29.
“They were shocked that I know about it, but you know, the internet,” the seasoned tour guide said of the royals’ reaction after he wished them a happy anniversary. “She said this is the perfect thing to do before their wedding anniversary. She was quite happy about it.”
The duke and duchess posed at the Taj Mahal’s famous stone bench, affectionately known as “Lady Di’s chair,” but a spokesman tells Us that the couple decided to sit on the bench at the last minute, and not because of the associations with William’s late mother, Princess Diana.
“It is where everyone sits to admire the Taj’s beauty,” the spokesman explained.
Asked about his reaction to the historic monument, Prince William told Us that he found the place “beautiful.”
“It was overwhelming,” he said.
The duke and duchess’ Saturday visit caps off a busy week of travels throughout India and Bhutan, including a wildlife safari, a visit to a charity shelter and a meeting with Bhutan’s Dragon King and Queen.
“This tour has been a huge success. The U.K.’s relations with India have been strengthened considerably. The duke and duchess would like to thank Prime Minister Modi for his warm welcome and for his support of this tour,” a Kensington Palace spokesman told Us. “The duke and duchess have highlighted the issues they care about, including support for vulnerable young people, mental health and conservation. [They] are filled with gratitude for the experiences they have had and look forward to returning to India and Bhutan in the future.”
