PARIS: British royals William and Kate arrived in Paris on Friday in the prince’s first official visit to the French capital since his mother Diana died there.
William, who is second-in-line to the throne, and his wife are acting as goodwill ambassadors for Britain just as the country prepares to trigger the formal process of leaving the European Union.
At a reception for young French entrepreneurs to launch a celebration of Franco-British links called “Les Voisins” (Neighbours), the 34-year-old prince said the two countries had much in common.
“This partnership will continue despite Britain’s recent decision to leave the European Union,” William said.
“The depth and the breadth of our cooperation will not change.”
The couple met French President Francois Hollande soon after arriving in the capital and on Saturday met victims of the November 2015 terror attack on the Bataclan concert hall in Paris.
The trip comes as William faces criticism in the British media for missing a Commonwealth celebration to go skiing with friends.
In the world’s fashion capital, Kate wore a sleeveless V-neck black dress by Alexander McQueen before changing into a gray-blue gown by British designer Jenny Packham later in the evening.
At a star-studded black-tie dinner at the ambassador’s residence, Kate was seated next to “Godzilla” star Jean Reno, while her husband had French actress Audrey Tautou and Kristin Scott-Thomas, the British actress who lives in Paris, for company.
They were served a starter of langoustine before a main course of roast lamb — but to the French media’s amusement, the traditional British mint sauce for the meat did not feature.
Although no official commemoration is planned during the trip, it will be impossible to escape the poignancy of Diana’s eldest son visiting the city where she died on August 31, 1997.
William was 15 and his brother Harry 12 when their mother and her Egyptian boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed were killed after their Mercedes crashed in central Paris as it was being pursued by press photographers.