The engagement was an ideal one for the Duke and Duchess following on from their successful tour of India last year.
More on the event from Gov.uk "A year long-programme to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Indian independence and UK cultural ties has been announced... The Year of Culture 2017 will see an exciting festival of events celebrating the vibrant cultural history of the two countries. Top UK institutions will partner with their Indian counterparts to strengthen cultural and economic ties between the two nations, and showcase British creativity on the global stage."
Below, Kate with chef Vikas Khanna, who features on MasterChef India.
William and Kate view a shawl given to Her Majesty by Mahatma Gandhi.
More from The Daily Mail's Rebecca English:
'As part of the reception, a number of priceless artefacts from the Royal Collection were put on display in the palace Picture Gallery. Among them was a shawl woven by Gandhi on his loom as a wedding present for Princess Elizabeth in 1947. The shawl has the words Jai Hind - Hail India- in the centre and was accompanied by a hand-written note from Gandhi, addressed to Lord Mountbatten, then Viceroy of India, which read: 'The little thing is made out of doubled yarn of my own spinning.... please give the bride and the bridegroom this with my blessing with the wish that they would have a log and happy life of service of man.....Yours sincerely, MK ' Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge spent time admiring the shawl during their tour of the gallery.'
Richard Palmer of The Daily Express added some interesting detail on guests in his article on the engagement:
'Guests at tonight's reception included stars of stage and screen, fashion, food, literature and sport. Among them were Big Bang Theory star Kunal Nayyar and his model/actress wife Neha Kapur, British-Indian actress Ayesha Dharker, Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev, former England footballer Rio Ferdinand, sitar player Anoushka Shankar – daughter of the legendary Ravi Shankar – and her husband, director Joe Wright.There was also a display from the Royal Collection including items from previous royal visits to India and Indian gifts and manuscripts from the Royal Library. The Queen’s first state visit to India, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, was in 1961 as the guests of Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India.'
And noted the food arrangements:
'A highlight of the evening was a special Indian-themed menu of canapes prepared by royal chefs working alongside chefs from Veeraswamy, the West End eatery that is Britain's oldest Indian restaurant.
Under the guidance of the Queen's chef Mark Flanagan and Uday from Veeraswamy, the menu featured the best of British and Indian cuisine - from Yorkshire rhubarb Creme Brûlée to Raj puri and even a tandoori prawn cocktail. The team of 15 palace staff and five from the restaurant made just under 5,000 canapés for the guests.
Uday said: "It has been quite a difficult challenge capturing all the flavours in one small bite but we are happy with what we have achieved." Mark added: "We have been planning to menu with Uday and the team for six weeks. It really is the best of both cultures."'
Indian sitar player Anoushka Shankar (daughter of Ravi Shankar) attended the reception with her husband British director Joe Wright.
Dancers performing at the reception.
The Daily Mail's Rebecca English shared a video of the performance.
Video: Indian dancers inside the Grand Entrance at Buckingham Palace for the UK-India Year of Culture reception pic.twitter.com/yngjfBHvZ6— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) 27 February 2017
Kate looked very interested as she chatted with guests.
The Queen greets India's High Commissioner to the UK, Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, while Prince Philip chats to guests.
Indian actress Ayesha Dharker brought her own sparkle to the event.
A design by Bangalore and London-based Studio Carrom projected onto Buckingham Palace. It features a peacock design, which is celebrated as the national bird of India and dancer motifs, representing the country and culture.
British-Indian actor Kunal Nayyar who stars in The Big Bang Theory and his wife Indian model Neha Kapur.
Rebecca English of The Daily Mail also shared a short video of Kate chatting with guests.
Video: the Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace's UK-India Year of Culture Reception. pic.twitter.com/SDQUNlXzRS— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) 27 February 2017
Kate looked wonderful in the long-sleeve, pleated Rhona dress by Erdem, which is sold out (with thanks to Kate's Closet), and originally retailed for £900.
The midi-length dress features a round neckline, long semi-sheer sleeves, pleated bodice, hidden back zip and is made in the UK. The fabric is a metallic lace in silver. The elegant dress has also been worn by Princess Mette-Marit (with thanks to those who pointed it out).
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| Erdem |
A closer look at the fabric.
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| Erdem |
This is a particularly fun choice for our reader Christen who selected the dress as her 'Dream look for the Duchess' last September. Well done Christen, it was a lovely choice :)
The Duchess wore the new Oscar de la Renta Platinum Lamé Cabrina pumps (thanks to MiddletonMaven). The shimmering $690 pumps are described as "Our enduringly classic Cabrina pumps are reworked for the new season in glistening platinum lamé. This Italian-made pair has a sleek, architectural silhouette with a pointed toe, scalloped sides and raised back.".
Her earrings are by Indian designer Anita Dongre, who created the Gulrukh Tunic Dress worn by the Duchess on the India-Bhutan tour. They are part of the Pink City line. I thought it a lovely choice to select the designer again for the reception.
Evidently, Anita Dongre was actually at the reception. She revealed she chatted with Kate about their shared love of Rajasthan.
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| Anita Dongre Twitter |
And a closer look at Kate's soft partial updo.
What did you think of Kate's outfit tonight? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
