I'm not a fan of British royalty. But having lived in London for one year and traveled around that beautiful country, I can appreciate a dash of royalty.
The fact that the royal couple made Singapore their first stop in their South East Asian and Pacific tour speak volumes about the close ties the little island has with the UK. The British ruled this island for about 144 years anyway. Thankfully, they left behind a relatively good legacy - a thriving entreport, a working international business language, a sound legal system and good education institutions. The pioneer leaders of Singapore were able to build on these assets and thrived.
Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine arrived in Singapore on Tuesday to kick off a Southeast Asian and Pacific tour marking Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
William, wearing a dark blue suit and light blue tie, and Catherine, in a short-sleeved, knee-length cream dress, touched down at Changi Airport in the afternoon.
Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine arriving at Changi Airport (photo: Jefferey Tan, Channel NewsAsia)
The glamorous couple's first visit was at the National Orchid Garden within the Singapore's Botanic Gardens, where an orchid was named after them - an honour reserved for world-famous people and VIP visitors to Singapore.
The royal couple were presented with the Vanda William Catherine, a free-flowering orchid hybrid with white petals, sepals with purple red spots and a dark purple lip.
Britain's Prince William (L) looks on as his wife Catherine receives flowers upon their arrival at the VIP terminal of Changi Airport in Singapore on Sep 11, 2012. (AFP/Wong Maye-E) - 11 Sep 2012
Prince William and his wife Catherine insert the name plate of the Singapore hybrid orchid named after the royal couple to mark their visit to Singapore and the Botanic Gardens (photo: National Parks Board)
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, smiles during a ceremony naming a hybrid orchid in their honor at the Orchid Garden within the Singapore Botanical Gardens in Singapore, Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Prince William and his wife Catherine have an orchid named after them at the Botanic Gardens on Sept 11, 2012. They will also see the orchid named after the late princess Diana. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Vanda William Catherine, the orchid which was named after the royal couple. (Francine Lim, channelnewsasia.com) - 11 Sep 2012
A royal wave to the crowds waiting at Gardens by the Bay to catch a glimpse of the royal couple (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
Prince William (L) and wife Catherine stop to say hello to the waiting crowd at Gardens by the Bay (photo: Siti Nur Mas Lina, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
The Duchess of Cambridge enjoys the ride around Gardens by the Bay with her husband Prince William (hidden) on a special buggy (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
The Duchess of Cambridge stops to autograph a book presented to her by a school girl in the crowd (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
Looking great indeed! The royal couple looking cool despite the morning heat at Gardens by the Bay (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
A spot of gardening at Gardens by the Bay for the royal visitors, at a tree planted in their honour - the Pachira glabar 'Variegata'. (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
Prince William shows some muscle as he wields the shovel on the fresh earth around a tree planted to mark the royal visit to Gardens by the Bay (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
Britain's Prince William (L) and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, tour the Cloud Forest at Singapore's Gardens by the Bay (AFP/POOL/Wong Maye-e) - 12 Sep 2012
Fans of the royal couple brave the heat while waiting for their arrival at Gardens by the Bay. (photo: Siti Nur Mas Lina, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
Prince William and his wife Catherine unveiled the first plane engine to be produced by Rolls-Royce at its new factory in Singapore, on the second day of their Asia-Pacific tour (AFP/ROSLAN RAHMAN) - 12 Sep 2012
Prince William and his wife Catherine, lost in a moment at the opening of the Singapore Rolls-Royce factory (ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP) - 12 Sep 2012
Girl power. The Duchess of Cambridge shows she has humour and muscle, after turning an engine part at the opening of the Rolls Royce plant in Singapore (AFP/ROSLAN RAHMAN) - 12 Sep 2012
Fans of the royal couple anxiously waiting for their arrival at Queenstown's Strathmore Green. (photo: Siti Nur Mas Lina, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
Prince William looks back for a final wave as the royal couple makes their way through the housing estate. - 12 Sep 2012
Britain's Prince William and wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, gladly interact with their fans under the flurry of cameras. (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
The royal couple applauds at a performance specially put up for them. (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
Chairman of HDB Mr James Koh escorts the royal couple on a tour of Queenstown. (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
Prince William flashes a smile as he walks alongside MP Indranee Rajah while his wife, Catherine, follows behind. (photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com) - 12 Sep 2012
Britain's Prince William, and his wife Catherine, the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge pay their respects to war dead of both WWI and WWII at the Kranji Commonwealth War Memorial on Thursday Sept 13, 2012 in Singapore. -- PHOTO: AP
Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, looks at the headstones during her visit to the Kranji Memorial Cemetery in Singapore on Sept 13, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Britain's Prince William (left) and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, depart from the Kranji Commonwealth War Cemetery in Singapore on Sept 13, 2012. The royal couple are at their first stop of a nine-day tour of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Britain's Prince William (centre, left) and his wife Catherine (centre, right), the Duchess of Cambridge, lay a wreath to pay their respects to war dead of WWII during a visit to the Kranji War Memorial in Singapore on Sept 13, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Royal Couple's visit to Queenstown public housing estate
Britain's Prince William, (right), and his wife Catherine, (center), the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge pay their respects to war dead of both WWI and WWII at the Kranji Commonwealth War Memorial on Thursday Sept 13, 2012 in Singapore. -- PHOTO: AP
Britain's Prince William (centre, left) and his wife Catherine (centre, right), the Duchess of Cambridge, lay a wreath to pay their respects to war dead of WWII during a visit to the Kranji War Memorial in Singapore on Sept 13, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Royals remembered war dead at Kranji Memorial
Royal Couple's visit to Queenstown public housing estate
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