The United Kingdom has permitted its citizens to travel to tourist spots in Pakistan’s northern areas, due to the better security situation of the country.
The announcement was made by the British High Commissioner to Islamabad Dr. Christian Turner.
This is the first main update in the UK travel advisory since 2015 following the return of British Airways to Pakistan in June 2019 and the royal visit of Prince William and Kate Middleton in October 2019.
The announcement is the “result of a comprehensive review of UK travel advice for Pakistan, based on a wide-ranging assessment of the country’s security situation,” reads astatement published on the British government website.
“Among other changes, the advice now allows for travel by road to the North of Pakistan as well as the Kalesh and Bamboret Valleys.”
High Commissioner Turner appreciated the Government of Pakistan for providing a better security environment over the past years.
“Following my arrival in December 2019, I made this review of the travel advice a priority. I am delighted that British nationals will be able to see more of what Pakistan has to offer,” he said.
Amidst the royal drama which has enveloped Britain, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Bradford where they went to My Lahore, a British Asian restaurant and recalled fond memories of their trip to Pakistan.
The director of the restaurant that hosted the royal couple while speaking to The News shared that Kate and William were “in love with Pakistan.” Kate also wore the earrings from Zeen for the occasion.
“The visit by Prince William and Kate Middleton was a brilliant experience for us. We were amazed to find out so much about Pakistan from them,” said Farooq. “Duchess Kate told us how she loved Pakistani people, culture and food. She was clearly missing the time spent in Pakistan.”
He added: “The Prince said the people of Pakistan are amazing and they received a great hospitality and love from the people during their busy tour of the country in October last year.”
William and Kate made kulfi and mango milkshakes at the restaurant, inspired by the historic and culturally rich city of Lahore.
Talking about their visit further, Farooq said that the royal couple wanted to visit the kitchen and took a keen interest in its operations. After going through the menu, they decided to make mango and kulfi milkshakes.
“The couple said they had enjoyed mango and kulfi milkshakes in Pakistan as well,” Farooq elaborated.
Prince William also asked about the origin of the ingredients used in their food.
“He already knew a lot about the ingredients used in Pakistani, Asian food. We told the couple that we take pride in the fact that we take inspiration from Lahore, known as the food capital of Pakistan.”
After making milkshakes at the ground floor area, the couple tasted Pakistani dishes at a private banquet above the restaurant.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have visited Bradford to promote cohesion and try their hand at making kulfi milkshakes. pic.twitter.com/WrIN7SuDv6
British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan was also present during the visit and he discussed mental health in sport and his boxing foundation with the Duke and Duchess.
The royal couple also met representatives from the UK Women’s Muslim Council and those who have taken help from the Council’s Curry Circle. The Curry Circle is an initiative that provides a two times meal for people who are homeless or struggling to feed themselves.
Queen Elizabeth II on Monday allowed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to split their time between Canada and Britain during a “transition period” in which the family will figure out how to deal with their shock resignation from front-line royal duties.
The monarch said she held “very constructive” talks between Harry and his older brother Prince William and their father Prince Charles aimed at charting a course through the fallout of the bombshell announcement.
Meghan reportedly joined the conversation by phone from Canada after abruptly jetting out of Britain last week.
The Sussex’s resignation last Wednesday came after a year filled with rumours of infighting between the brothers and reports of Meghan feeling unwelcome in the highly traditional and structured royal family.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family,” the 93-year-old queen said in a statement after the first day of meetings at her Sandringham estate in eastern England.
Harry and Meghan said they wanted to “carve out a progressive new role within this institution” — a statement that some read as a slight at the way the royal family has been run under Britain’s beloved monarch.
The monarch stressed the couple told her “they do not want to be reliant on public funds” but did not address the issue of whether they would keep their royal titles.
Harry and Meghan are formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Five percent of their income comes from public funds. The rest comes from Prince Charles’ Duchy of Cornwall heredity private estate. It dates back to 1337 and has officially reported assets worth £1.1 billion ($1.4 billion).
However, the queen elaborated there were still “complex matters” for the family to sort out.
“It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK,” she said.
According to British media, Charles was furious at Harry for making the announcement without winning the queen’s consent and had left the meeting early.
Debates over Harry and Meghan’s future have divided British public opinion and dominated newspaper front pages for days. According to a poll, 46 percent of respondents supported their decision, while 57 percent thought they were unfair to the Queen.
While their official plan is to continue to “fully support” the queen and honour their duties to the Commonwealth and their patronages, they want to make 2020 a transition year to carve out their new role and launch their new Sussex Royal charitable entity and seek to raise their own sources of income.
They also want to keep their newly-renovated Frogmore Cottage home on the queen’s Windsor Castle estate as their British base.
Meghan likes to vacation in Canada and is currently there with Archie.
But the Daily Mail said “her real dream” was to settle alongside other celebrities in Los Angeles – “but not while President Donald Trump is in charge”, it added. Meghan and Trump are not particularly known to like each other. In wake of the Sussex’s decision, Trump commented that the couple was being unfair to the Queen.
Madame Tussauds waxwork museum has removed the figures of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan from its British royal family display, in response to the couple’s announcement that they will be stepping back from royal duties.
The wax museum announced their move on social media with a cheeky caption.
Madame Tussauds, which contains more than 250 wax models of celebrities, said the two figures will be placed in a separate section, away from that which includes Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and Prince William and his wife Kate.
On Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they intend to divide their time between North America and the UK to carve out a “progressive new role” and step back from their senior positions.
According to British media, senior members of the royal family, including the Queen, Prince William and Prince Charles were disappointed by the move. Some reports suggested that the Queen was furious with Harry.
To be fair, announcing loudly that you’re going to leave without thinking through the implications properly or making solid plans for the future is very, very British #Megxit
#Megxit was trending after Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, announced they would be stepping back from their roles as senior members of the British royal family and begin working towards financial independence https://t.co/jKaRO9QrdY
Alright people! Calm the hell down! Harry’s only resigning from his job. Do you consult your grandma when you want to change jobs? #meganandharry#Megxit
According to the reports, the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton is more famous than the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle in the United States of America.
YouGov recently conducted a poll, 61 percent of the US participants of the survey voted for kate Middleton while 48 percent praised Meghan. Prince Harry’s wife grew up in united States and she also worked there as a successful actress in Hollywood before getting married.
The survey was conducted from November 24 to 26 and 1500 royal fans participated in the voting.
In the Survey options, Queen Elizabeth II got 69 percent votes.
Prince Harry, William and their mother Diana got 63 percent votes.
The Pantone Color Institute has chosen the calming, confident Classic Blue as its colour of the year for 2020. Kate Middleton wore an outfit of this colour on her recent trip to Pakistan.
According to the vice president of the global purveyors of colour consulting, trendspotting and analysis Laurie Pressman, “the colour is an anchor offering stability, constancy and connection.”
“It’s a reassuring presence,” she said.
Pressman and her team scoured the worlds of art, fashion and home decor, along with commercial, graphic and industrial design, to come up with the pick.
Patone began the decade by choosing Cerulean, the colour of the daytime sky, to begin the new millennium (2000), while Classic Blue is the sky at dusk as the new decade commences.
“It has depth to it, but it’s a colour of anticipation because we’re looking ahead,” Pressman said speaking about the colour. “The day is over. We’re looking forward to the evening. What’s going to come?”
Classic Blue is a vibrant yet non-aggressive and easily relatable colour, she said. It’s also among nature’s anthocyanin pigments possessing antioxidant and other health-fostering benefits.
“Many of us feel stressed, completely overloaded,” Pressman said. “We live these 24/7 lifestyles. We’re anxious. There’s so much uncertainty and unrest, no matter where you are. With that we’ve seen this whole increased focus on wellness and self-care.”
The timeless colour is also gender neutral and seasonless, mixing well with other shades throughout the spectrum yet making a strong statement on its own.
The anointed blue also plays into the sustainability movement.
“We have all this focus on buy less, buy good, so people aren’t throwing things into a landfill,” Pressman said. “You read about buying things to last and this is a timeless blue shade. It’s always there and you’re comfortable with it, like blue jeans.”
For offices, it offers an air of security, she said. For kitchens, it’s a top accent color in appliances and walls.
“Everybody’s comfortable with blue,” Pressman said. “We know it. We like it.”
A showbiz decade marked by the emergence of the #MeToo movement, drama at Oscar time and a clutch of star-studded royal weddings is drawing to a close.
Here are the highlights from the decade.
2010
Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first woman to win best director at the Oscars for The Hurt Locker, a low-budget Iraq war drama that also beats blockbuster Avatar, directed by ex-husband James Cameron, to the best picture award.
Kathryn Bigelow
Model Naomi Campbell testifies at former Liberian leader Charles Taylor’s war crimes trial, saying she was given “dirty looking pebbles” but did not know if they were blood diamonds.
Fashion designer Alexander McQueen and actors Dennis Hopper and Tony Curtis die.
2011
Britain’s Prince William marries Kate Middleton.
Michael Jackson’s personal doctor, Conrad Murray, is convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the singer’s 2009 death from a fatal dose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol.
Actress Elizabeth Taylor and singer Amy Winehouse die.
2012
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie get engaged.
Beyonce and rapper Jay-Z welcome their first child, daughter Blue Ivy.
Actress Katie Holmes files for divorce from Tom Cruise after nearly six years of marriage.
Singers Whitney Houston and Robin Gibb die.
2013
William and Kate welcome their first child, son George, as do reality TV star Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West, who name their daughter North.
Paul Walker dies.
2014
Jolie and Pitt tie the knot in France, George Clooney marries human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice and Kardashian and West wed in Florence.
George Clooney, Amal Clooney
Robin Williams passes away.
2015
Comedian Bill Cosby is criminally charged with indecent assault against one woman after dozens accuse him of sexual misconduct dating back decades. He denies the allegations.
Former Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner, stepfather of Kim Kardashian, becomes the most high-profile American to publicly come out as a transgender woman, taking the new name Caitlyn Jenner.
Johnny Depp marries Amber Heard.
Actors Omar Sharif and Leonard Nimoy and director Wes Craven die.
2016
Director Spike Lee and actress Jada Pinkett Smith boycott the Oscars because no black actors are nominated for a second straight year. The ensuing uproar leads the Academy of Motion Pictures to expand membership to more women and people of colour.
Jolie and Pitt split; Heard files for divorce from Depp.
Kardashian is robbed of millions of dollars of jewelry at gunpoint in Paris.
Music stars David Bowie, Prince and George Michael, and actors Alan Rickman, Carrie Fisher and Gene Wilder die.
2017
A blunder overshadows the Oscars as La La Land is wrongly named best picture. African-American drama Moonlight is the actual winner. PricewaterhouseCoopers, which oversees the ballots, says presenter Warren Beatty had been given the wrong envelope.
The New York Times and the New Yorker publish accounts by numerous women accusing film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, fuelling the #MeToo movement across entertainment, politics and business. Weinstein denies any non-consensual sex.
Harvey Weinstein
A suicide bomber kills 22 people at the end of an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. Grande later holds a benefit concert for the victims.
After winning six Grammys five years earlier for smash hit album 21, Adele triumphs again, taking five awards for follow-up 25.
2018
Cosby becomes the first celebrity to be convicted of sexual abuse since the #MeToo movement began.
Britain’s Prince Harry marries US actress Meghan Markle.
Singer Aretha Franklin, actor Burt Reynolds, comicbook supremo Stan Lee, designer Hubert de Givenchy and chef Anthony Bourdain die.
2019
Documentary Leaving Neverland, in which two men say they were abused as children by Michael Jackson, renews scrutiny of the singer’s legacy. Jackson’s estate calls it a “rehash of dated and discredited allegations”.
Prosecutors drop a sex assault case against Oscar winner Kevin Spacey after the alleged victim refuses to testify.
Harry and Meghan welcome their first child, Archie.
Hit medieval drama Game of Thrones wraps up after eight seasons. The ending divides fans.
Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, actors Peter Fonda, Abid Ali and Luke Perry and Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison die.
The Royals tour of Pakistan was definitely one of the highlights of the year and the Princess’ wardrobe was the cherry on top. Duchess Kate stole the show with a number of traditional dresses from local designers including Maheen Khan, Gul Ahmed and Khadija Shah.
Gul Ahmed
Maheen Khan
Élan
And it appears that the Duchess was very pleased with her wardrobe because Khadija of Élan got a signed thank you note from Kate herself.
Khadija shared a picture of the letter on Twitter and expressed her happiness over receiving it.
Along with appreciating the designer for her work, the letter also said: “Pakistan really is a wonderful country, which we both thoroughly enjoyed visiting and hope to return one day soon.”
Kate had worn a cream and black embroidered outfit by the designer label as she boarded a plane back to Islamabad after an unexpected storm had disrupted their schedule and forced the royal couple to spend the night in Lahore.
Kate wore the same outfit to a private visit the royal couple undertook to the SOS Village in Lahore.
On the final day of their visit to Pakistan, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to @SOSChildrenPK, which provides a home and family structure to over 150 young girls and boys in Lahore #RoyalVisitPakistanpic.twitter.com/UhDqjzE9Et
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 19, 2019
Kate and William visited Pakistan for the first time in October. Their five-day tour had a jam packed schedule which included visits to Lahore, Islamabad and Chitral.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge undertook a whirlwind tour of Pakistan late October. While it has been a couple of days since they left, the couple is still sneaking into our conversations as we reminiscence the days they spent here.
Little details of their trip continue to excite us and a chef has now revealed what Kate and William ate on their flights as they travelled to different places within Pakistan.
Chef Samina Gul, a former Professional Cookery student at University College Birmingham, shared pictures of the food the royal couple ate while in-flight during their recent five-day tour of Pakistan.
Fresh salad with beetroot and quinoa
Samina Gul, a product development chef with Pakistan’s KC Flight Catering, made elevenses, afternoon tea and dinner for Prince William and Kate on two of their Royal Air Force flights during their visit. KC Flight Catering is the largest private in-flight catering operator in Pakistan.
Samina shared pictures of her delicious delicacies on Facebook and we have to say they look mouth-watering.
And it appears that the people on the flight loved the food because Samina’s company received a letter from the catering manager of 101 Squadron Royal Air Force, Sgt Steve Roberts, expressing his appreciation of the in-flight chefs’ services and hard work.
