Inside William and Kate’s Whistle-Stop Royal Tour of India and Bhutan
One of the world’s largest, most populous, and undeniably complicated countries, India normally requires weeks to see, best explored by picking a single location and soaking it up over several days. However, when William and Kate visit starting this Sunday, they’re spending only five days in the vast country, as well as a couple in the nearby Bhutan.
If you’re thinking of heading that way, we’ve put together the perfect royal itinerary following in William and Kate’s footsteps—as well as the footsteps of their royal ancestors—where you’ll get to experience the full scope of what the vast and varied country has to offer.
If you’re thinking of heading that way, we’ve put together the perfect royal itinerary following in William and Kate’s footsteps—as well as the footsteps of their royal ancestors—where you’ll get to experience the full scope of what the vast and varied country has to offer.
Mumbai
Day one of William and Kate’s tour will find them in Mumbai, a bustling, cosmopolitan city known as the “Financial Capital of India.” Here, stunning historical sites, the Bollywood film industry, some of the country’s most high-end shopping, as well as the sprawling slums all jostle for space in the city’s consciousness. Stay at the fabled Taj Mahal Palace, where the hotel staff—approximately one for every guest—goes overboard to fulfill their mantra: “The guest is God.” Royal visitors have included Edward, Prince of Wales; the Duke of Edinburgh; the king and queen of Norway; and King George V and Queen Mary.
A must-see attraction is mere steps away: the iconic Gateway of India stone arch, constructed to commemorate King George V’s visit to India with Queen Mary. Nearby, the Kala Ghoda neighborhood features scores of boutiques and art galleries. Or head north to Byculla East for the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai’s oldest museum highlighting the city’s heritage and culture. Soak up a little local flavor with a walk along Marine Drive and Chowpatty Beach before going to Crawford Market (now known as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai), with vendors and stalls selling everything from food to flowers to exotic animals, and Zaveri Bazaar, the gem and jewelry market.
Stop at nearby Banganga Tank, a quiet, holy area featuring temples arranged around a pool and Hindu cremation ground. Take a tour of the Dharavi slum with a reputable guide (Reality Tours & Travel gives 80 percent of profits directly back to the community) to witness how this area is an essential part of the small-scale industry in Mumbai. Cap off a long day of sightseeing with drinks on the rooftop Aer Lounge on the 34th floor of the Four Seasons—it features the best views in all of Mumbai.
Day one of William and Kate’s tour will find them in Mumbai, a bustling, cosmopolitan city known as the “Financial Capital of India.” Here, stunning historical sites, the Bollywood film industry, some of the country’s most high-end shopping, as well as the sprawling slums all jostle for space in the city’s consciousness. Stay at the fabled Taj Mahal Palace, where the hotel staff—approximately one for every guest—goes overboard to fulfill their mantra: “The guest is God.” Royal visitors have included Edward, Prince of Wales; the Duke of Edinburgh; the king and queen of Norway; and King George V and Queen Mary.
A must-see attraction is mere steps away: the iconic Gateway of India stone arch, constructed to commemorate King George V’s visit to India with Queen Mary. Nearby, the Kala Ghoda neighborhood features scores of boutiques and art galleries. Or head north to Byculla East for the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai’s oldest museum highlighting the city’s heritage and culture. Soak up a little local flavor with a walk along Marine Drive and Chowpatty Beach before going to Crawford Market (now known as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai), with vendors and stalls selling everything from food to flowers to exotic animals, and Zaveri Bazaar, the gem and jewelry market.
Stop at nearby Banganga Tank, a quiet, holy area featuring temples arranged around a pool and Hindu cremation ground. Take a tour of the Dharavi slum with a reputable guide (Reality Tours & Travel gives 80 percent of profits directly back to the community) to witness how this area is an essential part of the small-scale industry in Mumbai. Cap off a long day of sightseeing with drinks on the rooftop Aer Lounge on the 34th floor of the Four Seasons—it features the best views in all of Mumbai.
New Delhi
New Delhi, India’s capital city, is vast, frenetic, and the perfect place to lose yourself for a day or two. When King George V and Queen Mary visited India in 1911 for the Delhi Durbar, a coronation ceremony proclaiming them emperor and empress of India, the decision to move the capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced. British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker were given the task of transforming the city, and as a result, their fingerprints can be found all over it.
Check into the Leela, an elegant Lutyens-inspired property in the heart of the diplomatic Chanakyapuri neighborhood, where King Juan Carlos of Spain has stayed and guests are picked up in a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Visit Gandhi Smriti, where Mahatma Gandhi lived for a few months until his death in 1948. The Martyr’s Column, commemorating the spot where he was assassinated during his nightly prayers, is a particularly poignant memorial. Another affecting monument is India Gate, an Arc de Triomphe–like war memorial where William and Kate will be laying a wreath for Indian soldiers of the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Pause for afternoon tea at the Imperial, a 1930s five-star landmark, before continuing the tour of Indian history at Raj Ghat, a memorial for Mahatma Gandhi with additional sites for other historical figures including Indira Gandhi nearby, and Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum.
On day two, visit Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India, with relics of Muhammad, before going to the Qutb complex, home to the Qutb Minar—the world’s tallest brick minaret—as well as the Iron Pillar of Delhi, a 4th-century 23-foot column that has remained relatively rust-free, long baffling scientists. Next, visit the sandstone and marble Humayun’s Tomb, a majestic UNESCO World Heritage site encompassing the tombs of several emperors. Finally, prearrange a visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Lutyens-designed presidential residence (formerly known as the Viceroy’s House), home to a museum, as well as thrones of King George V and Queen Mary.
New Delhi, India’s capital city, is vast, frenetic, and the perfect place to lose yourself for a day or two. When King George V and Queen Mary visited India in 1911 for the Delhi Durbar, a coronation ceremony proclaiming them emperor and empress of India, the decision to move the capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced. British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker were given the task of transforming the city, and as a result, their fingerprints can be found all over it.
Check into the Leela, an elegant Lutyens-inspired property in the heart of the diplomatic Chanakyapuri neighborhood, where King Juan Carlos of Spain has stayed and guests are picked up in a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Visit Gandhi Smriti, where Mahatma Gandhi lived for a few months until his death in 1948. The Martyr’s Column, commemorating the spot where he was assassinated during his nightly prayers, is a particularly poignant memorial. Another affecting monument is India Gate, an Arc de Triomphe–like war memorial where William and Kate will be laying a wreath for Indian soldiers of the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Pause for afternoon tea at the Imperial, a 1930s five-star landmark, before continuing the tour of Indian history at Raj Ghat, a memorial for Mahatma Gandhi with additional sites for other historical figures including Indira Gandhi nearby, and Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum.
On day two, visit Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India, with relics of Muhammad, before going to the Qutb complex, home to the Qutb Minar—the world’s tallest brick minaret—as well as the Iron Pillar of Delhi, a 4th-century 23-foot column that has remained relatively rust-free, long baffling scientists. Next, visit the sandstone and marble Humayun’s Tomb, a majestic UNESCO World Heritage site encompassing the tombs of several emperors. Finally, prearrange a visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Lutyens-designed presidential residence (formerly known as the Viceroy’s House), home to a museum, as well as thrones of King George V and Queen Mary.
Kaziranga National Park
British royals have a long and checkered history of hunting big game on safari in India. In 1961, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were photographed in Jaipur proudly standing by a dead tiger, something that drew protests even then. Decades earlier, after the 1911 Delhi Durbar, Elizabeth II’s grandfather King George V traveled onto Nepal, where he hunted tigers and bears, while in 1921, the Prince of Wales, who would later become King Edward VIII, went on his own tiger-hunting expedition in Nepal.
Times have changed, however, and the Windsors have changed with them. When William and Kate visit the UNESCO World Heritage site Kaziranga National Park wildlife sanctuary, they will aim to bring attention to conservation efforts of endangered species, as well as admire the area’s plentiful Bengal tigers, elephants, swamp deer, Hoolock gibbon, one-horned rhinos, and water buffalos. A significant focus of their visit is drawing attention to the conflicts and complexities of humans and wild animals living in close proximity.
After a long day of game drives, stay in a private thatched-roof cottage at Diphlu River Lodge. Cottages feature large terraces overlooking the surrounding land and river, and guests can book to enjoy festive nightly group barbecues with locals performing dancing and singing rituals.
British royals have a long and checkered history of hunting big game on safari in India. In 1961, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were photographed in Jaipur proudly standing by a dead tiger, something that drew protests even then. Decades earlier, after the 1911 Delhi Durbar, Elizabeth II’s grandfather King George V traveled onto Nepal, where he hunted tigers and bears, while in 1921, the Prince of Wales, who would later become King Edward VIII, went on his own tiger-hunting expedition in Nepal.
Times have changed, however, and the Windsors have changed with them. When William and Kate visit the UNESCO World Heritage site Kaziranga National Park wildlife sanctuary, they will aim to bring attention to conservation efforts of endangered species, as well as admire the area’s plentiful Bengal tigers, elephants, swamp deer, Hoolock gibbon, one-horned rhinos, and water buffalos. A significant focus of their visit is drawing attention to the conflicts and complexities of humans and wild animals living in close proximity.
After a long day of game drives, stay in a private thatched-roof cottage at Diphlu River Lodge. Cottages feature large terraces overlooking the surrounding land and river, and guests can book to enjoy festive nightly group barbecues with locals performing dancing and singing rituals.
Agra
When Princess Diana was photographed in front of the Taj Mahal in 1992, it was considered a statement of loneliness, as well as portending the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles. Expect William and Kate to rewrite the story with their own photo at “Lady Di’s Chair” (as the bench is now known) during their visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site. Stay at Oberoi Amarvilas, less than half a mile from the Taj Mahal, and with unobstructed views of the iconic mausoleum from every room. Guests are ferried between the hotel and the Taj Mahal on golf carts.
There’s more to Agra than just the Taj Mahal, however. Spend a couple hours wandering the narrow alleyways of the Old City, stuffed with vendors selling spices, antiques, and textiles. And for two alternative but no less beautiful memorials, try the red sandstone Mariam’s Tomb—built by Emperor Jahangir in memory of his mother, Mariam-uz-Zamani—and the carved marble Itmad-ud-Daula, nicknamed the “baby Taj.”
JaipurWhen Princess Diana was photographed in front of the Taj Mahal in 1992, it was considered a statement of loneliness, as well as portending the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles. Expect William and Kate to rewrite the story with their own photo at “Lady Di’s Chair” (as the bench is now known) during their visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site. Stay at Oberoi Amarvilas, less than half a mile from the Taj Mahal, and with unobstructed views of the iconic mausoleum from every room. Guests are ferried between the hotel and the Taj Mahal on golf carts.
There’s more to Agra than just the Taj Mahal, however. Spend a couple hours wandering the narrow alleyways of the Old City, stuffed with vendors selling spices, antiques, and textiles. And for two alternative but no less beautiful memorials, try the red sandstone Mariam’s Tomb—built by Emperor Jahangir in memory of his mother, Mariam-uz-Zamani—and the carved marble Itmad-ud-Daula, nicknamed the “baby Taj.”
Although William and Kate won’t be visiting Jaipur during this tour, no royal trip to India is complete without exploring Rajasthan, the lush, palace-laden land of the maharajas. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, has a rich royal history—founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II, the Raja of Amer, in recent decades it has been visited by British royals from King George V, Queen Mary, and who would later become Edward VII to Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Princess Diana. Awash in riverfront gilded palaces and sweeping garden courtyards, it’s not hard to understand why royals continue to be drawn to it. Its nickname, the Pink City, is thanks to the British royal family—while Queen Victoria never traveled to India, when the Prince of Wales visited Jaipur in 1878, the streets were painted pink in their honor and the nickname stuck.
Stay at the storied Rambagh Palace, a 47-acre compound built in 1835 as a maharaja’s palace, and eventually converted into a grande dame hotel. Each guest is given a royal reception, with decorated camels and elephants welcoming visitors, while women in traditional Rajasthani garb perform Aarti and Tikka greeting ceremonies. Guests have included Prince Charles and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
The former seat of the maharaja, the City Palace complex now includes a museum, the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II; another must-see is the 20-foot-high, 10-foot-wide Jaipur City Wall, built in 1727 under the founding reign of Maharaja Jai Singh II. About seven miles outside Jaipur, meanwhile, the stunning Amber Fort, built in the 16th century by Maan Singh I and blending both Hindu and Rajput influences, is an enormous fort and palace complex overlooking the Maota Lake and well worth a visit. Like so many Indian sights, it stirs the emotions, reminding visitors of the country’s undeniable majesty and long history.
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