The Cambridges Reconnect with Organisations They Met in Pakistan

It was a flashback to the Cambridges' tour in Pakistan last year, as William and Kate spoke to two organisations they visited during their trip to see how they are coping amid the pandemic. During a video call last week, they reunited with with children from Islamabad's Model College for Girls and SOS Children's Villages. During a conversation with the girls college, they decided a game of Pictionary was very much in order. Kensington Palace shared the following video.

One year on from #RoyalVisitPakistan 🇵🇰🇬🇧 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge caught up with teachers at Islamabad Model College for Girls to hear how the school’s activities have been impacted, before joining pupils in a game of Pictionary 🎨 pic.twitter.com/iQaAFTRKAq

— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) October 16, 2020

Hello! reports:

'The Cambridges joined the pupils for a virtual game of Pictionary - a guessing game in which players attempt to identify words from pictures drawn by other players.

As she tried to figure out what the first picture was, Kate asked: "Is it a wedding?"

William quickly suggested "birthday" which was the right answer and Kate said: "Very good. That’s a really hard one."'

 William told the pupils: "I'm really glad you guys are drawing and we're not having to draw. You're much better, you guys." The Duke also praised Kate's drawing, adding she's better than he is. Kate smiled and replied: "You don't practice enough."

The Cambridges visited Model College on the second day of their visit last October. Model College was established over forty years ago. The government run school supports students from the ages of 4 to 18. During the visit, William and Kate learned about the benefits of the 'Teach for Pakistan' programme which recruits young graduates and professionals for a two-year fellowship teaching in schools with a lack of qualified educators. 49% of girls are out of school in Pakistan; it's one of several initiatives in place to tackle the issue. The Duchess selected a traditional royal blue periwinkle silk Kurta with trousers and a scarf by Pakistani designer Maheen Khan with New Look shoes for the visit.

The couple also caught up with SOS Children's Villages.

Having visited the SOS children's village twice during their tour last year, The Duke and Duchess were reminded of their cricket skills, or perhaps lack of cricket skills in this instance... pic.twitter.com/PxbOhhigNc

— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) October 16, 2020

The organisation was very much the focal point of the trip for me, and the engagements and quotes remain the standout memories from coverage of the tour. During the Cambridges' first visit, Kate praised the "vital role of mothers" and shared a few words in Urdu. "I’m aware that many of you have experienced extremely difficult times in your lives, but it is inspiring to see how you have used your strength and positivity to help transform the lives of so many young children here."

SOS is the largest independent, non-profit development organisation operating all over the world. The villages provide alternative families to children without proper parental care. Typically, children of all ages live together in a house with a 'Mother' who is responsible for meeting the children's physical needs. These women are often single or widows, and able to fully commit themselves to the responsibilities included. The ethos of SOS is all about fostering a sense of belonging and family which is why several children are raised together and brought up as siblings. I first heard about their work some time ago and was really struck, in particular, by the women essentially dedicating their lives to raising children from difficult backgrounds and ensuring they get a childhood filled with love, stability and safety.

When unexpected weather meant William and Kate couldn't travel back to Islamabad toward the end of the trip, it meant a great deal of last minute logistical changes and the cancellation of a long planned trip to Khyber Pass on the Afghanistan border. With an additional morning in Lahore on Friday, the royal couple decided to return to SOS Children's Villages - a telling sign of how moved they were by the charity's incredible work.

In her very first Instagram post, Kate wrote: "The community at the SOS Village is built around family - and the best possible family you could imagine - where everyone comes together to nurture, love and protect the children in their care. These vulnerable children, many who have come through traumatic circumstances, are nurtured in this caring environment and are able to form these quality relationships that they so desperately need to thrive."

It's a wonderful organisation and one I would love to see William and Kate continue to champion across the Commonwealth countries they work in.

Prime Minister Imran Khan described the calls as "incredibly thoughtful".

The Duchess wore a gold kurta for the video call. I suspect it was part of her wardrobe for the tour and she didn't have an opportunity to wear it, possibly due to the last minute scheduling change. It also appears she wore a new ring.

I hope you all have a great weekend!