Royal couple grateful for safe landing after ‘bumpy’ flight
THE Duchess of Cambridge thanked the RAF for looking after her when her royal plane was buffeted and diverted by an electrical storm in Pakistan.
The incident, which led to the royal tour being diverted after struggling to land, had been a bumpy ride but an adventure, she said. She and her husband spent an unplanned night in Lahore after their RAF Voyager twice failed to land in the capital Islamabad because of heavy turbulence.
“It was quite an adventure really, it was pretty bumpy up there,” she said while visiting a military dog training centre on the last day of their visit. “But we were looked after so wonderfully by the RAF who did a great job liaising with everyone and got us home safely, so we are hugely grateful to them.”
The royal couple spent their final day in Pakistan visiting an army dog training centre to highlight the close security ties with UK. The centre breeds and trains bomb-sniffer dogs with the help of British military advisers. It is modelled on the UK military’s own dog-training centre in Melton Mowbray, Leics.
The Duke and Duchess watched puppies being put through their paces on agility courses and search drills.
The Duke said events in Pakistan had a direct effect on security on the streets of Britain. He said: “The whole week we have been hearing about security in Pakistan and it’s really brought home to Catherine and I the importance of the relationship between the UK and Pakistan.”
Earlier, the Duchess gave her first TV interview since her engagement. She told CNN that the tour had “been fantastic”, adding: “We’ve seen a lot of Pakistan, a huge variety. It’s amazing seeing some of the geography. To see some of the community activities like this has been really special.”