A Pre-Tour Reception For The Cambridges & Exclusive Azuni London Discount

With less than a fortnight until the Cambridges' official visit to Pakistan, the Duke and Duchess attended a special event hosted by His Highness The Aga Khan at the Aga Khan Centre.

The engagement follows a busy day of private engagements yesterday. William and Kate held a reception and meeting for the Royal Foundation. They also hosted a reception for finalists of BBC Radio One's Teen Hero Awards. They've hosted the event several times now - we should get photos at some point within the next week.

The Duke and Duchess will spend five days in the country from 14-18 October. We should hear further details on the itinerary any day now. It's understood it will include causes close to their hearts and highlight UK-Pakistan relations.

The Aga Khan is the 49th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. He succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan, as Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims in 1957 when he was just twenty years old. Over sixty years later, he has devoted his efforts to improving the quality of life for the most vulnerable, while emphasising the view of Islam as a thinking, spiritual faith. Below, William and Kate with His Highness.

Kensington Palace said: "The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) has been working in Pakistan for over a century to improve the quality of life, promote pluralism, and enhance civil society. Through its development agencies, AKDN works with thousands of local communities and provides a broad range of services across the country, including school improvement programmes, financial inclusion, conservation projects, and healthcare facilities."

The Palace continued: "The Aga Khan Centre in London’s King’s Cross is a place for education, knowledge, cultural exchange and insight into Muslim civilisations. The centre is home to the Aga Khan Foundation, the Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations, and the Institute of Ismail Studies. The organisations work together to bridge the gap in understanding about Muslim cultures and to connect the public to global development issues."

The centre houses a library which provides secure storage for rare books and manuscripts in addition to a contemporary study space.

The event showcased modern Pakistani culture - it was organised in cooperation with the High Commission of Pakistan.

William and Kate had the opportunity to meet a range of people from Pakistan, including community leaders, those involved in British and Pakistani business, and key figures within the diaspora community, including musicians, chefs and artists.

Kate said she's looking forward to trying the food in Pakistan and revealed she enjoys cooking curries at home - making separate ones for adults and the children. Although, she added "Charlotte likes heat".

William and Kate met DJ and producer Naughty Boy.

A video from the engagement.

The Duchess wore a flowing emerald-silk ARoss Girl x Soler dress for the event.

The piece is descrobed as: "ARoss Girl x Soler's 'Amanda' dress channels the elegance of New York's Upper East Side and the vintage sensibility of Notting Hill's, Portobello Market. Cut from silk-georgette, it has an elasticated waist to define the smallest part of your figure and tie-fastening cuffs to create blouson sleeves." The dress is currently reduced from £825 to £577 in limited sizes at Net-A-Porter.

More on the collaboration between the brands:

'Designer, stylist and former Harper’s Bazaar editor Amanda Ross stumbled upon Soler’s charming atelier in London and fell in love with its craftsmanship and bohemian spirit. Under the name ARoss Girl x Soler, their collaborative line of silk dresses is a dreamed-up wardrobe.'

Kate accessorised with a pair of £6 Ceramic Drop earrings by Pakistani brand Zeen (with thanks to Heaven). Both the choice of earrings and the colour of Kate's dress were a sartorial nod to Pakistan.

The Duchess wore her Emmy London Rebecca suede pumps and carried the matching clutch in greenery suede.

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We also have an exclusive discount code from the wonderful team at ethical, handcrafted, jewellery brand Azuni London to share today. Enter azuniduchess (all lowercase letters) at the checkout to avail of 15% off your order. It includes all orders apart from clearance items and other promotions. Of course, the brand first came to the attention of royal fans when the Duchess wore their (now aptly named) Kate Drop Stone Earrings in Aqua Chalcedony. 

The £31.50 pair are described as "Personally selected and worn by the Duchess of Cambridge, these dainty drop stud earrings have to be the number one choice for any gemstone or royal jewellery lover." 

The earrings come delivered in a bespoke pouch and box.

The versatile earrings remain incredibly popular at Azuni. They work equally well with a casual look or formal evening attire. With Autumn/Winter upon us, the vibrant gemstones add a splash of colour to darker hues for the party season. 

Below, the Kate earrings in Green Onyx, Lemon Quartz, Fuchsia Chalcedony and Blue Lapis. They are also available in silver.

Azuni London founder Ashley Marshall has always found inspiration for his designs from his extensive travels around the globe. He started his career as a chef, working in some of London's top kitchen's before taking his talent and flair for experimenting with unusual textures and stones to South America where he immersed himself in Native American culture. His unique approach to design developed during his travels followed by three years of study at Sir John Cass Jewellery and Silversmithing University in London. From there, his unique and affordable pieces became an instant hit featuring in publications including Vogue, Tatler and Cosmopolitan. Take a behind-the-scenes look in the video below.

Giving back has always been important at Azuni. A percentage of all purchases go towards supporting the efforts of Pueblo a Peublo - a non profit committed to improving education, food security and healthcare in rural Guatemala. Jain from Auzni told me: "It means a lot to us to know that our efforts can make a difference to the world in some way. The indigenous cultures of South and Central America hold a deep place in our hearts as this is where Azuni was born - a childhood curiosity and later adult passion of Ashely who set up Azuni all those years ago."

A selection of gemstone, cocktail and stackable rings.

Azuni Jewellery comes in a number of materials including sterling silver. Below, the £39 Pueblo earrings and matching £55 necklace. 

Beaded handcrafted earrings are a staple with everything from beaded hoops to drop stone earrings in the collection. The £33 Cholula Delica and Bugle Bead earrings are ethically produced in co-operation with Mayan artisans and woven from precision cut Japanese Miyuki beads.

Elegant and statement necklaces include the Penelope Multi-Stone Necklace, The Etrusca V Shaped Pendant, the Skylar Half-Moon Necklace and the Long Multi-Talon Necklace,

Gift sets are ideal for bridesmaids or gifts. Below, the Larissa bridesmaid set featuring hoop earrings and a gemstone necklace. We also see the Mosaic Set featuring peach moonstone earrings and a matching bangle.

The discount code azuniduchess is valid until 16 October. UK orders receive Free Delivery and international orders over £100.