2012年9月12日星期三

Here's to starting a family: Wills and Kate toast each other with water at Gala reception after Prince tells well-wishers he wants two children


In the steamy Singapore heat, it seems the Royal couple decided to have a dry night and forgo the champagne.
But their clinking of glasses topped with water, may fuel speculation that if Kate is not already pregnant, she and William might be trying for a baby.
William earlier revealed the couple's plans to start a family - by saying he wanted two children - after being quizzed by a plucky youngster.
Cheers: The Royal couple make a toast with water in honour of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee at a British Gala reception, shortly after Wills said he wanted two children
Cheers: The Royal couple make a toast with water in honour of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee at a British Gala reception, shortly after Wills said he wanted two children
During their tour of Singapore today, the Duke of Cambridge was taking part in a colourful walkabout when he was asked by a little boy how big a family he would like. He answered without hesitation: 'Two'.
William recently made clear that he and the Duchess, who are both 30, are keen to start a family soon and many predict that may come after this current tour is over.
Corine Ackermann, 17, who was with school friends from the Tanglin Trust British School, said: 'Someone asked him how many children he would like to have, and he said he was thinking about having two.'
He and Kate were also asked what 'powers they would like' if they could be a superhero by Jaz Heber Percy, 13.
The Duke replied: 'That’s a hard question – I’m not sure. I’ll have to think about it. I think invisibility.'
Then, when she met the Duchess moments later, she asked her the same question.
Miss Percy said: 'Kate said she had to be invisible if Prince William was, otherwise he would be able to sneak up on her.'
Her friend Charlotte Phillipson, 13, said: 'She found it really tricky to answer.'

Miss Phillipson said she burst into tears when the Duchess spoke to her, adding: 'She is my idol, she is a great model and something really to aspire to. She is very down to earth and lovely.'
Later on today the couple visited Queenstown, the first ‘satellite’ town in Singapore which was, appropriately, named after the Queen to mark her coronation in 1953.
Located in the south-western part of the island, around five miles from the city, it resembles an English housing estate - but with manicured lawns and a distinct lack of graffiti.
Less than forty years ago, however, it was an area of large, swampy land inhabited by a few hundred people living in attap-roofed huts (a form of mangrove palm) who lived by cultivating fruit and rearing poultry.
Now it is a self-sufficient town with more than 84,000 people living in 30,200 apartments thanks to a major building project by the Housing Development Board (HDB).
The couple arrived to a whirr of noise and colour as they were greeted by a traditional lion dance – a sign of welcome and good luck - to represent Singapore's Chinese community.
The Duke of Cambridge watches his wife adoringly as she signs a guest book at a reception at Eden Hall, Singapore, after the couple have spent a day touring the country
The Duke of Cambridge watches his wife adoringly as she signs a guest book at a reception at Eden Hall, Singapore, after the couple have spent a day touring the country
The Royal couple listen to speeches at the reception where they toast with a glass of water at the Eden Hall in Singapore
Prince William and Kate visit the British High Commissioner's residence, Eden Hall, for dinner
The Royal couple visit the British High Commissioner's residence,  left and right, for dinner, on day two of the Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East in Singapore

The couple looked genuinely entranced – Kate particularly - as they watched the dancing, before moving onto a group of Malay drummers known as a Kompang and then an Indian band, both representing the island’s two other main cultural groups.
The Duke and Duchess walked around the estate's gardens and play areas and received a tumultuous welcome from thousands of local residents waving Union flags and Diamond Jubilee tea towels.
Although she tends to let her husband be the ‘laughs’ man, Kate proved she, too, has a sense of humour today.
During a visit to Rolls Royce’s new Seletar campus, the Duchess was asked to fit the last fan blade out of 24 to a Trent 900 engine for the Airbus A380 double-decker plane.
As she pushed a lever and the titanium blade slotted home, giggling Kate turned to William and Mark King, president of civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce, and did a jokey Popeye-style movement, showing off her enviable arm muscles.
Picturesque: Kate admires the beauty of the Cloud Forest of Singapore's Gardens in Singapore while Wills looks at her lovingly
Picturesque: Kate admires the beauty of the Cloud Forest of Singapore's Gardens in Singapore while Wills looks at her lovingly

Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Gardens by the Bay
Beautiful: The Duchess of Cambridge holding a bouquet of flowers as she visits Gardens by the Bay as part of the tour
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Gardens by the Bay, left, and looks beautiful as she holds a bouquet of flowers, right, as onlookers welcome her to the country
Memento: Well-wishers take their cameras out as Kate arrives at the Gardens by the Bay on the second day of their tour
Britain's Prince William, left, and his wife Kate, the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge during their tour in the Cloud Forest of Singapore's Gardens
Kate smiles for the camera as she arrives at the Gardens by the Bay, left, and her and William enjoying themselves at the Cloud Forest, right

Kate bends down to talk to young fans at Gardens by the Bay who are holding British flags in support of the Royal tour
Kate bends down to talk to young fans at Gardens by the Bay who are holding British flags in support of the Royal tour
The cheeky gesture caused roars of laughter from the floor - and Kate to visibly blush.
Hundreds of staff had gathered to cheer the Duke and Duchess who were celebrating the British success story that is Rolls Royce. The company opened its Singapore branch in February.
In a speech William said: ‘Here is cutting edge aerospace technology developed by one of the United Kingdom’s great global companies. I know that Rolls-Royce sets as its standard that it should be ‘Trusted To Deliver Excellence’. There can be no doubt that Seletar will deliver exactly that.‪'
In the centre of the area was a playground and number of outdoor gym machines on which a variety of pensioners were exercising.
William approached one lady in her 70s and told her through a translator: 'You are looking great? How much do you exercise? An hour a day?! That is fantastic, you must have big arms and legs. Very fit. Awesome'
The couple were then guided to watch a group of children from Queenstown Secondary School playing a game of ‘chapteh’. This is a traditional Malay game, often played by children but also adults, where they use a small flat-bottomed weight attached to a feather and kick it with their instep to each other.
William looked intrigued and didn’t hesitate to have a go, striking the feathered weight perfectly first time. Afterwards the local MP Dr Chia Shi Lu said: It can take two to three years of practice to be able to hit it with your foot correctly but he did it straight away – and managed to strike all three strokes. That is very impressive.
Snap: Kate smiles at members of public in the crowd as she walks alongside Prince William as they visit Strathmore Green housing estate earlier today
Snap: Kate smiles at members of public in the crowd as she walks alongside Prince William as they visit Strathmore Green housing estate earlier today
All smiles: The happy couple wave to the crowd during their visit to Strathmore Green, a residential district of Singapore
All smiles: The happy couple wave to the crowd during their visit to Strathmore Green, a residential district of Singapore
A Royal entrance: Kate's hair blows in the wind and Wills grins as they walk in Queenstown in front of thousands of well-wishers
A Royal entrance: Kate's hair blows in the wind and Wills grins as they walk in Queenstown in front of thousands of well-wishers
William, smiling, whispers to his wife and she grins as they watch a performance from children at a disabled school
William, smiling, whispers to his wife and she grins as they watch a performance from children at a disabled school
Wills and Kate speak to student Tan Si Xue after he gave them one of his paintings following a performance at the Rainbow Centre, a school for disabled children
Wills and Kate speak to student Tan Si Xue after he gave them one of his paintings following a performance at the Rainbow Centre, a school for disabled children

The Duke and Duchess watch children skipping as they attend a cultural event in Queenstown
The Duke and Duchess watch children skipping as they attend a cultural event in Queenstown
’I think they were very impressed indeed with what we have done here.’
As they left, the Duchess, who was wearing a pretty patterned silk skirt and top by Asian designer Raoul – which costs £485 online - bent down to greet a little Indian girl who had a posy of orchids for her.
Five-year-old Brinda Vijapur said afterwards that Kate had complimented her on her dress. ‘She said it looked pretty,’ she said.
As the royal couple departed they also accepted a posy of flowers from little Maeve Low, aged five, who was picked to make the presentation by the Make-A-Wish Foundation after she was given the all-clear from lymphoma.
William and Kate bent down to talk to the little girl dressed in a bright pink dress and toy tiara who her mother, Joanne Low, 38, a teacher from Singapore, described as 'princess mad'.
The royals spent a few minutes talking to the tongue tied youngster who could only smile but she did present them with some gifts - magic wands each, a painting showing the Cambridges with Maeve's family and a cut-out photograph of the royal couple.
There was a slight drama after the crowd rushed forward to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they made their way back to the car after visiting the Rainbow Centre, which helps disabled and autistic children.
The surge caused a barrier to collapse, but luckily no-one was hurt in the incident. Prince William's Scotland Yard personal protection officer was knocked to the ground and several onlookers fell over the barrier.
The crowd, apparently thinking that William was going to talk to them before leaving, surged forward and the barrier fell over. William and his protection officer lifted the barrier up, and William was seen afterwards talking to a member of the public involved in the incident.
Vanitha Muthukoval, 30, the mother of one of the children at the centre, said: 'People from behind were pushing so the barrier fell down. It was very alarming. People were very excited to see William.'
Earlier in the day the couple had visited the Gardens By The Bay on the second day of their Diamond Jubilee tour of south east Asia and the South Pacific.
The Duchess looked cool and unflustered in the 36 degree heat as she wore a pretty white Alexander McQueen broderie anglaise suit.
On her feet she wore her favourite towering navy suede Coco wedges by Stuart Weitzman for Russell & Bromley, which cost a cool £245.
More than 3,000 cheering, flag waving members of the public had gathered at the gardens to see the royal couple, many of whom had waited for hours to catch a glimpse.
Among them were the children from the British-run Tanglin Trust School who had made dozens of glittery banners and were chanting 'Wills is brill, Kate is great' at the top of their voices.
Amelia Green, ten, who was sporting Union flag sunglasses, said: 'We just love them. We all watched the Royal Wedding last year. They are fantastic role models.'
Her friend Grace Conlan, also ten, added: 'It makes us proud to be British.'
Surrounded by children: The happy couple stand with youngsters from a school in Singapore after they give them a show on stage
Surrounded by children: The happy couple stand with youngsters from a school in Singapore after they give them a show on stage
Mother-to-be? Kate laughs with students at an art therapy session, part of the Rainbow Centre's special education program for children with special needs
Mother-to-be? Kate laughs with students at an art therapy session, part of the Rainbow Centre's special education program for children with special needs
Elegance: Kate and Wills wave at crowds of supporters during the Royal couple's visit to a local housing estate
Elegance: Kate and Wills wave at crowds of supporters during the Royal couple's visit to a local housing estate
Motherly-instinct: Kate receives flowers and talks to a little girl during her visit to Strathmore Green housing estate
Motherly-instinct: Kate receives flowers and talks to a little girl during her visit to Strathmore Green housing estate
The Duchess was asked for some style tips by Ella Major, 15. She said: 'I asked her how she kept her hair so perfect in this weather, because it’s so humid. Mine always pouffes up. She was afraid that her hair might be the same way in a few minutes.
'She said that her hair would pouffe up soon enough.'
Several people even fainted as they stood in sweltering heat for three hours to catch a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess.
'William said it was very hot,' said Penny Hall, 43. 'People were fainting around us earlier but it was worth three hours in the blazing sun to have seen them.'
The Duke, who was starting to sweat underneath his blue single-breasted suit, was introduced by Kate Holt, 40, to her daughter Isabel, 14, and as he reached out to shake her hand he said: 'Sorry, I’m a bit sweaty.'
Located on reclaimed land in the Marina Bay area of the city, Gardens by the Bay is one of the largest projects of its kind in the world.
A British design team led by Bath-based architects Grant Associates, have created three unique gardens featuring Singapore's first conservatories housed in two large biodomes, displaying plants and flowers from the Mediterranean and Tropics.
The gardens also feature 18 eye-catching supertrees which are, in fact, vertical gardens displaying flowing climbers and ferns.
Before they left, the royal couple planted a pachira glabra variegate to mark their visit. Kate said: 'It's amazing. I hope we can come back in a few years time when it's fully grown.'

没有评论:

发表评论