William reveals he wants two children as he and Kate take in sights of Singapore on second day of Far East tour
The Duke of Cambridge let slip that he would like to have two children with wife Kate during the couple's tour of Singapore today.William was taking part in a colourful walkabout when he was asked by a little boy how big a family he would like. He answered without hesitation: 'Two'.
William recently made clear that he and the Duchess, who are both 30, are keen to start a family soon and many predict that may come after this current tour is over.
Corine Ackermann, 17, who was with school friends from the Tanglin Trust British School, said: 'Someone asked him how many children he would like to have, and he said he was thinking about having two.'
Making a Royal entrance: The Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge make the same hand gesture as they attend a cultural event in
Queenstown, Singapore, on the second day of their Diamond Jubilee tour
of South East Asia
Memento: The camera phones come out as the Duke
and Duchess of Cambridge walk through the Strathmore Green housing
estate in Singapore
Royal fan club: Crowds waved Union flags and
held banners including one that read: 'Wills and Kate, lookin' great' as
they welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
He and Kate were also asked what 'powers they would like' if they could be a superhero by Jaz Heber Percy, 13.
The Duke replied: 'That’s a hard question – I’m not sure. I’ll have to think about it. I think invisibility.'
Then, when she met the Duchess moments later, she asked her the same question.
Miss Percy said: 'Kate said she had to be invisible if Prince William was, otherwise he would be able to sneak up on her.'
Her friend Charlotte Phillipson, 13, said: 'She found it really tricky to answer.'
Miss Phillipson said she burst into tears when the Duchess spoke to her, adding: 'She is my idol, she is a great model and something really to aspire to. She is very down to earth and lovely.'
Later on today the couple visited Queenstown, the first ‘satellite’ town in Singapore which was, appropriately, named after the Queen to mark her coronation in 1953.
Located in the south-western part of the island, around five miles from the city, it resembles an English housing estate - but with manicured lawns and a distinct lack of graffiti.
Less than forty years ago, however, it was an area of large, swampy land inhabited by a few hundred people living in attap-roofed huts (a form of mangrove palm) who lived by cultivating fruit and rearing poultry. Now it is a self-sufficient town with more than 84,000 people living in 30,200 apartments thanks to a major building project by the Housing Development Board (HDB).
The couple arrived to a whirr of noise and colour as they were greeted by a traditional lion dance – a sign of welcome and good luck - to represent Singapore's Chinese community.
The couple looked genuinely entranced – Kate particularly - as they watched the dancing, before moving onto a group of Malay drummers known as a Kompang and then an Indian band, both representing the island’s two other main cultural groups.
The Duke and Duchess walked around the estate's gardens and play areas and received a tumultuous welcome from thousands of local residents waving Union flags and Diamond Jubilee tea towels.
The Duke replied: 'That’s a hard question – I’m not sure. I’ll have to think about it. I think invisibility.'
Then, when she met the Duchess moments later, she asked her the same question.
Miss Percy said: 'Kate said she had to be invisible if Prince William was, otherwise he would be able to sneak up on her.'
Her friend Charlotte Phillipson, 13, said: 'She found it really tricky to answer.'
Miss Phillipson said she burst into tears when the Duchess spoke to her, adding: 'She is my idol, she is a great model and something really to aspire to. She is very down to earth and lovely.'
Later on today the couple visited Queenstown, the first ‘satellite’ town in Singapore which was, appropriately, named after the Queen to mark her coronation in 1953.
Located in the south-western part of the island, around five miles from the city, it resembles an English housing estate - but with manicured lawns and a distinct lack of graffiti.
Getting stuck in: The Duchess chats with
students and teachers during an art therapy session at the Rainbow
Centre for children with special needs, at the centre's Margaret Drive
school in Singapore
Having a go: Kate, who studied art history at St
Andrews University, tries her hand at batik painting at the Rainbow
centre session
Well done! Kate gives students the thumbs up as she attends the art therapy session at the Rainbow Centre
For us? The Duke and Duchess speak to student
Tan Si Xue after he gave them one of his paintings following a
performance at the Rainbow Centre
Enjoying the show: The Duke and Duchess watch as
students from the Rainbow Centre perform, while right, the Duchess taps
THOSE shoes in time to the performance
Less than forty years ago, however, it was an area of large, swampy land inhabited by a few hundred people living in attap-roofed huts (a form of mangrove palm) who lived by cultivating fruit and rearing poultry. Now it is a self-sufficient town with more than 84,000 people living in 30,200 apartments thanks to a major building project by the Housing Development Board (HDB).
The couple arrived to a whirr of noise and colour as they were greeted by a traditional lion dance – a sign of welcome and good luck - to represent Singapore's Chinese community.
The couple looked genuinely entranced – Kate particularly - as they watched the dancing, before moving onto a group of Malay drummers known as a Kompang and then an Indian band, both representing the island’s two other main cultural groups.
The Duke and Duchess walked around the estate's gardens and play areas and received a tumultuous welcome from thousands of local residents waving Union flags and Diamond Jubilee tea towels.
Elegance: Kate chose a pretty patterned silk
skirt and top by Asian designer Raoul, which cost £485 for the Royal
couple's visit to a local housing estate
Effortless: Despite the 36 degree heat, Kate
looked cool, calm and collected in her trademark nude platform shoes
while her husband appeared without a tie in an effort to beat the heat
Lovely to meet you: The Duchess looked
enthralled by the sea of hands extended towards her as she met the
crowds during a visit to Queenstown, Singapore
The brollies are out...but not for the rain:
Some members of the crowd fainted after waiting hours in the searing
heat for the Duke and Duchess to arrive
Pride: A young Royal fan wears a pair of Union
flag glasses, left and school children wave British flags, right, as
they wait for the Duke and Duchess to arrive at the Gardens by the Bay
in Singapore
In the centre of the area was a playground and number of outdoor gym machines on which a variety of pensioners were exercising. William approached one lady in her 70s and told her through a translator: 'You are looking great? How much do you exercise? An hour a day?! That is fantastic, you must have big arms and legs. Very fit. Awesome'
The couple were then guided to watch a group of children from Queenstown Secondary School playing a game of ‘chapteh’. This is a traditional Malay game, often played by children but also adults, where they use a small flat-bottomed weight attached to a feather and kick it with their instep to each other.
William looked intrigued and didn’t hesitate to have a go, striking the feathered weight perfectly first time. Afterwards the local MP Dr Chia Shi Lu said: It can take two to three years of practice to be able to hit it with your foot correctly but he did it straight away – and managed to strike all three strokes. That is very impressive.
Enter the dragon: The couple arrived to a whirr
of noise and colour as they were greeted by a traditional lion dance - a
sign of welcome and good luck - to represent Singapore's Chinese
community
Dazzling: The couple looked genuinely entranced -
Kate particularly - as they watched the dancing, before moving onto a
group of Malay drummers known as a Kompang
This way Kate! The Duchess takes some time to
pose for a few snaps to the delight of locals gathered to catch a
glimpse of the Royal pair
THE ROYAL ARMS SHOW: DUCHESS PROVES SHE HAS SENSE OF HUMOUR - AND ENVIABLY TONED ARMS - DURING ROLLS-ROYCE VISIT
Move over Michelle Obama! The Duchess flexes her
biceps after pushing in the last blade of a Rolls-Royce wide chord fan
blade during her tour of the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus in Singapore
During a visit to Rolls Royce’s new Seletar campus, the Duchess was asked to fit the last fan blade out of 24 to a Trent 900 engine for the Airbus A380 double-decker plane.
As she pushed a lever and the titanium blade slotted home, giggling Kate turned to William and Mark King, president of civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce, and did a jokey Popeye-style movement, showing off her enviable arm muscles. The cheeky gesture caused roars of laughter from the floor - and Kate to visibly blush.
Hundreds of staff had gathered to cheer the Duke and Duchess who were celebrating the British success story that is Rolls Royce. The company opened its Singapore branch in February.
In a speech William said: ‘Here is cutting edge aerospace technology developed by one of the United Kingdom’s great global companies. I know that Rolls-Royce sets as its standard that it should be ‘Trusted To Deliver Excellence’. There can be no doubt that Seletar will deliver exactly that.'
Push down: Kate unveils the first Trent 900 made at the Rolls Royce factory during a ceremony at the factory in Singapore
Flying the flag: Prince William and Kate walk
past crowds waving Union flags ahead of an unveiling ceremony at the
Rolls-Royce factory in Singapore
Perfect pins: The Duchess displayed toned, tanned legs as she walked through the Rolls-Royce factory in Singapore
How am I doing? The Duchess giggles as she is
shown how to operate a test engine, left, and right, dons a pair of
safety goggles during a visit to the Rolls-Royce factory
’I think they were very impressed indeed with what we have done here.’
As they left the Duchess, who was wearing a pretty patterned silk skirt and top by Asian designer Raoul – which costs £485 online - bent down to greet a little Indian girl who had a posy of orchids for her.
Five-year-old Brinda Vijapur said afterwards that Kate had complimented her on her dress. ‘She said it looked pretty,’ she said.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of staff at the Rolls-Royce factory in Singapore had gathered to cheer the Duke and Duchess who were celebrating the British success story of the car maker. The company opened its Singapore branch in February.
In a speech William said: ‘Here is cutting edge aerospace technology developed by one of the United Kingdom’s great global companies. I know that Rolls-Royce sets as its standard that it should be ‘Trusted To Deliver Excellence’. There can be no doubt that Seletar will deliver exactly that.'
As they left the Duchess, who was wearing a pretty patterned silk skirt and top by Asian designer Raoul – which costs £485 online - bent down to greet a little Indian girl who had a posy of orchids for her.
Five-year-old Brinda Vijapur said afterwards that Kate had complimented her on her dress. ‘She said it looked pretty,’ she said.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of staff at the Rolls-Royce factory in Singapore had gathered to cheer the Duke and Duchess who were celebrating the British success story of the car maker. The company opened its Singapore branch in February.
In a speech William said: ‘Here is cutting edge aerospace technology developed by one of the United Kingdom’s great global companies. I know that Rolls-Royce sets as its standard that it should be ‘Trusted To Deliver Excellence’. There can be no doubt that Seletar will deliver exactly that.'
'Princess mad': The Royals accepted a posy of
flowers from Maeve Low, aged five, who was picked to make the
presentation by the Make-A-Wish Foundation after she was given the
all-clear from lymphoma
Tongue tied: Kate bent down to talk to the
little girl dressed in a bright pink dress and toy tiara who her mother,
Joanne Low, 38, a teacher from Singapore, described as 'princess mad'
For me? Kate receives a gift from a little girl,
left, while Wills, right, also gets given a little memento of the day
from a boy dressed in traditional clothes during the couple's visit to
Strathmore Green, a precinct in Queenstown, Singapore
Set back: Earlier in the day crowds, eager to
see the Prince, rushed forward causing a barrier to collapse as the Duke
and Duchess returned to their car at the end of a visit to the Rainbow
Centre. Luckily nobody was hurt
As the royal couple left they also
accepted a posy of flowers from little Maeve Low, aged five, who was
picked to make the presentation by the Make-A-Wish Foundation after she
was given the all-clear from lymphoma.
William and Kate bent down to talk to the little girl dressed in a bright pink dress and toy tiara who her mother, Joanne Low, 38, a teacher from Singapore, described as 'princess mad'.
The royals spent a few minutes talking to the tongue tied youngster who could only smile but she did present them with some gifts - magic wands each, a painting showing the Cambridges with Maeve's family and a cut-out photograph of the royal couple.
There was a slight drama after the crowd rushed forward to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they made their way back to the car after visiting the Rainbow Centre, which helps disabled and autistic children.
William and Kate bent down to talk to the little girl dressed in a bright pink dress and toy tiara who her mother, Joanne Low, 38, a teacher from Singapore, described as 'princess mad'.
The royals spent a few minutes talking to the tongue tied youngster who could only smile but she did present them with some gifts - magic wands each, a painting showing the Cambridges with Maeve's family and a cut-out photograph of the royal couple.
There was a slight drama after the crowd rushed forward to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they made their way back to the car after visiting the Rainbow Centre, which helps disabled and autistic children.
Green fingered: Earlier in the day the Duchess
planted a tree in the Gardens of the Bay complex in Singapore, being
careful not to get her elegant white Alexander McQueen broderie anglaise
suit dirty
Ready to start a family? Prince William and Kate
walk together during their visit to the Cloud Forest at Gardens By The
Bay this morning
Effortless style: The Duchess looked cool and
unflustered in the 36 degree heat as she wore a pretty white Alexander
McQueen broderie anglaise suit. On her feet she wore her favourite
towering navy suede Coco wedges by Stuart Weitzman for Russell &
Bromley, which cost a cool £245
Facing the heat: William and wife Kate walk
through humid mists during their tour of the Cloud Forest of Singapore's
Gardens while the Prince answered probing questions about his plans for
the future
The surge caused a barrier to
collapse, but luckily no-one was hurt in the incident. Prince William's
Scotland Yard personal protection officer was knocked to the ground and
several onlookers fell over the barrier.
The crowd, apparently thinking that William was going to talk to them before leaving, surged forward and the barrier fell over. William and his protection officer lifted the barrier up, and William was seen afterwards talking to a member of the public involved in the incident.
Vanitha Muthukoval, 30, the mother of one of the children at the centre, said: 'People from behind were pushing so the barrier fell down. It was very alarming. People were very excited to see William.'
Earlier in the day the couple had visited the Gardens By The Bay on the second day of their Diamond Jubilee tour of south east Asia and the South Pacific. The Duchess looked cool and unflustered in the 36 degree heat as she wore a pretty white Alexander McQueen broderie anglaise suit.
The crowd, apparently thinking that William was going to talk to them before leaving, surged forward and the barrier fell over. William and his protection officer lifted the barrier up, and William was seen afterwards talking to a member of the public involved in the incident.
Vanitha Muthukoval, 30, the mother of one of the children at the centre, said: 'People from behind were pushing so the barrier fell down. It was very alarming. People were very excited to see William.'
Earlier in the day the couple had visited the Gardens By The Bay on the second day of their Diamond Jubilee tour of south east Asia and the South Pacific. The Duchess looked cool and unflustered in the 36 degree heat as she wore a pretty white Alexander McQueen broderie anglaise suit.
All aboard! The Duke and Duchess saved their legs by hitching a ride on a open air bus during a tour of the Gardens By The Bay
Prince William and Kate speak to Dr. Kiat W.
Tan during their tour of the gardens, which are Singapore's first
conservatories housed in biodomes, displaying plants and flowers from
the Mediterranean and Tropics
Appreciate: Catherine stands with Dr Tan, chief
executive officer of Gardens by the Bay, after answering questions form
teenagers about what her super powers would be
Catherine wanders around Singapore's Gardens:
The couple are in the city-state for a three-day visit which started on
Tuesday as part of a tour to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
Hair protector: The Duchess's famous locks are protected from the mist in the Bay South Garden by white umbrellas
More than 3,000 cheering, flag waving members of the public had gathered at the gardens to see the royal couple, many of whom had waited for hours to catch a glimpse.
Among them were the children from the British-run Tanglin Trust School who had made dozens of glittery banners and were chanting 'Wills is brill, Kate is great' at the top of their voices.
Amelia Green, ten, who was sporting Union flag sunglasses, said: 'We just love them. We all watched the Royal Wedding last year. They are fantastic role models.'
Her friend Grace Conlan, also ten, added: 'It makes us proud to be British.'
The Duchess was asked for some style tips by Ella Major, 15. She said: 'I asked her how she kept her hair so perfect in this weather, because it’s so humid. Mine always pouffes up. She was afraid that her hair might be the same way in a few minutes.
Unusual: Kate, right, carries a stunning red
bouquet as she makes her way past the tree structures in the Gardens By
The Bay in Singapore during the Royal couple's Jubilee tour
How do you do? The royal couple meet dignitaries as they continue their Diamond Jubilee tour of Singapore on behalf of the Queen
Consummate charm: The Duchess of Cambridge
looked every bit the beautiful princess as she emerged from her car for
the visit to the gardens
Good times: William and Kate grin as the are
taken around the Gardens in a golf car. More than 3,000 members of the
public had gathered to see the royal couple
Style tips: Kate discussed hair care with
youngsters from the local British international school who had turned up
to greet the royal couple
'William said it was very hot,' said Penny Hall, 43. 'People were fainting around us earlier but it was worth three hours in the blazing sun to have seen them.'
The Duke, who was starting to sweat underneath his blue single-breasted suit, was introduced by Kate Holt, 40, to her daughter Isabel, 14, and as he reached out to shake her hand he said: 'Sorry, I’m a bit sweaty.'
Royal treatment: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge greets the crowds gathered to greet him and his wife Kate at the Gardens
Home from home: William and Kate met pupils from
the Tanglin Trust British School who had made dozens of glittery
banners and were chanting 'Wills is brill, Kate is great' at the top of
their voices
Duty comes first: Kate also took time to greet the assembled fans waiting at the entrance to the Gardens By The Bay
Loyal subjects: Catherine bends over to greet a
young girl clutching a Union flag. The Duchess was a hit with those who
met her, with one person calling her 'down to earth and lovely'
A British design team led by Bath-based architects Grant Associates, have created three unique gardens featuring Singapore's first conservatories housed in two large biodomes, displaying plants and flowers from the Mediterranean and Tropics.
The gardens also feature 18 eye-catching supertrees which are, in fact, vertical gardens displaying flowing climbers and ferns.
Before they left, the royal couple planted a pachira glabra variegate to mark their visit. Kate said: 'It's amazing. I hope we can come back in a few years time when it's fully grown.'
Monarchy mad: A fan holds a photo of Britain's Diana, Princess of Wales, as thousands wait for the arrival of William and Kate
Frenzy: More than 3,000 cheering, flag waving
members of the public had gathered at the gardens to see the royal
couple, many of whom had waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the
pair, who they said 'made them feel proud to be British'
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