Prince William returned to Paris on Friday, March 17, with his wife, Duchess Kate, for his first trip to the French capital since his mother, Princess Diana, died in a car crash there in 1997.
The royal couple flew to Paris on a private jet immediately after attending the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in London. Kate, 35, looked stunning in a green Catherine Walker coat dress as she arrived at the Élysée Palace with William, 34, to meet with French President François Hollande.
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Later in the day, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a black-tie dinner and reception hosted by Edward Llewellyn, Britain’s ambassador to France, at the British Embassy. “Before I came here, Her Majesty The Queen reminded me of how much she has enjoyed her many visits to France,” William told his fellow guests. “It is a feeling that Catherine and I entirely share, and look forward to this and many more visits in the years to come – to France, our ally, our friend, our neighbor.”
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On Saturday, March 18, the couple cheered the Wales rugby team as they took on the French in the final Six Nations match at Stade de France. Kate wore a red coat and was spotted smiling and chatting with her husband in the crowd. A day earlier, William joked with President Hollande that he would be “cheering the Welsh.”
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William and Kate, who share 3-year-old son Prince George and 22-month-old daughter Princess Charlotte, also went sightseeing on Saturday and visited the Eiffel Tower, where they looked so in love as they posed for a series of photographs. Kate wore a tweed Chanel dress and black pumps, while William looked dapper in a navy suit, a white button-down shirt and a maroon tie. The pair also headed to the historic Musée d’Orsay and were photographed looking through the museum’s famous giant clock.