Prince William and Kate Arrive in India for Royal Tour

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in India Sunday, kicking off a Royal Tour that will also include Bhutan.

The future King and Queen took a regularly-scheduled British Airways flight from London with an 11-member staff, including four press officers, a chief of staff each for Prince William and Kate, a stylist, a hairdresser, and Sir David Manning, the former British ambassador to the United States, who now serves as a Foreign Affairs advisor.

The couple's first stop was in Mumbai, to lay a wreath in honor of those killed in the 2008 Mumbai siege, when multiple hotels were attacked by ten terrorists. The ten terrorists carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across Mumbai. 164 people were killed and more than 300 were wounded.

The couple have decided to stay at the Taj Palace hotel, one of the hotels attacked, to show solidarity with the victims and those who courageously helped. Thirty-one people were killed at the hotel.

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The Duke and Duchess placed a wreath of white lilies between 32 burning candles with the message, "In memory of those who lost their lives and those injured in the senseless atrocities at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. William, Catherine.”

The memorial is located next to a waterfall in an atrium of the hotel, where the victims' names are inscribed on a wall, under the words: “For now and forever you will inspire us.”

Security has been tightened ahead of the visit, following an announcement last week by the Punjab police that a potential threat existed.

The Royal couple was introduced to the hotel's chef, Raghu Deora, who was shot in the stomach during the siege, but also helped guests to safety. He recounted how he underwent his final surgery two years ago — six years after the attacks.

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Deora also cooked a vegetarian lunch for the Royals, consisting of lentil curry with rice, okra and ricotta cheese and vegetable kebabs.

The Duchess of Cambridge wore an Alexander McQueen dress for her first engagement in Mumbai. The crimson dress with a paisley pattern drew parallels to designs of the nation that is hosting her on her first visit. Sarah Burton designed Kate's wedding dress and has been a go to favorite for many of her most important engagements.

Later this afternoon, the couple will visit two of Mumbai's slums to meet with some of the city's most vulnerable children.

Bina Sheth Lashkari, the founder of the Door Step School for children aged three to nine years old, said many of the students were fascinated about the possibility of meeting a real-life princess.

"They asked if it was the same princess from the fairy tales," Lashkari said. "One of the girls asked if she has big hair like Rapunzel."

After meeting with the children, Kate and William will head to a Bollywood fundraiser, with proceeds going to children's charities. The couple will run elbows at the fundraiser with the likes of Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Upon their arrival this morning, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were informed about the deadly fire that broke out at a temple in Kollam, in the southern state of Kerala. A spokesman for the couple said they "are saddened by the news and send their thoughts to all who are assisting the victims."

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