Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge may currently be in London on maternity leave, but HRH Prince William came face-to-face with his wife today (well, almost) among one of Jordan’s most treasured archeological sites. The British royal followed in the footsteps of Her Royal Highness as he visited the Roman ruins of Jerash, where a young Catherine once holidayed with her family.
A young Duchess of Cambridge with sister Pippa and father Michael in Jerash, Jordan. Photo by the Middleton Family/Clarence House via Getty
The then-Kate Middleton lived in Amman between 1984 and 1986, after her father Michael transferred to the Middle East as part of his work with British Airways. In a photo released by the Middleton family around the time of William and Catherine’s wedding in 2011, a young duchess was snapped taking in the sights with her father and sister Pippa. And, more than 30 years later, her husband ventured to the same spot along with his host, Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan. The second in line to the British throne is in the Kingdom as part of an official five-day Middle Eastern tour, which included a stop at the first century Roman city.
Prince William and Crown Prince Hussein walk past an enlarged photo of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in her youth, as they visit the Jerash archaeological site. Photo: Getty
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The 23-year-old Crown Prince also shared a snapshot from the day, writing: “Jerash, one of the most beautiful historical and tourist destinations in #OurJordan that attracts visitors from around the globe. With His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, on a visit to the Greco-Roman archeological site of Jerash.” The previous day, the royals had visited the TechWorks Fabrication Lab before watching a World Cup match back at Beit Al Urdun palace.
During their trip to Jerash, the pair met with young people supported by Makani, an education and support charity that works with local children and those from refugee communities. Prince William and Crown Prince Hussein mingled with children taking part in photography and art workshops. “As you know, there has been unrest in the Middle East for decades, most recently in Syria, and consequently the country of Jordan is hosting over 655,000 refugees – a staggering act of generosity and humanitarianism for a country with a population of 9.5 million,” Kensington Palace said before the royal departed the UK.
Prince William’s tour will take place from June 24 to 28, with Jordan the first stop on his itinerary among other Middle Eastern destinations, including the occupied Palestinian territories. It is also Prince William’s first visit to the region, Kensington Palace revealed, with a goal of meeting “as many people from as many walks of life as possible”. “In Jordan, the Duke of Cambridge will be able to build on the strong links that exist not only between the two countries, but also those that exist between their respective royal families who have visited each other many times over the years,” the palace stated. The prince’s whistle-stop visit will also include meetings at the Dar Na’mah Centre, which helps women develop their own livelihoods, Al Quds College, and with crew members of the Jordanian Air Ambulance.
The Duke of Cambridge visits Jerash, the same site that The Duchess of Cambridge visited, aged 4, with her sister and father when the family lived in Jordan. pic.twitter.com/PMoFrr4Snt
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) June 25, 2018
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