Catherine makes bold statement in flowing teal dress on outing with William

The world’s eyes may have been on Prince Harry and Meghan over the last week, but the Duchess of Cambridge completely stole the show in London on Wednesday in a stunning teal dress.

Joining her husband Prince William on the outing, Catherine turned heads in the statement gown which fell down to her feet in soft pleats, while clinching in at the waist  with a tie-up belt. The dress, reportedly worth £825 (AU$1,500), was by a favourite of the countess of Wessex – ARoss Girl X Soler – and it stopped just above the ankles to show off the duchess’ beautiful green stiletto heels.

Wearing her hair in loose waves, Catherine showed off some beautiful green and gold earrings too and looked a million dollars for the meeting with Muslim spiritual leader Aga Khan. The pair were met by fans outside the Aga Khan Centre in King’s Cross ahead of the meeting too, and stopped to chat to many of them.

At one point, Catherine showed her motherly side as she bent down and chatted to a schoolgirl who offered her a huge bouquet of flowers – offering her a beaming smile as William watched on. The meeting came ahead of the couple’s royal tour of Pakistan from October 14 to 18.

And the duchess also gave a rare update on their four-year-old daughter Princess Charlotte on the outing,  according to The Sun. Revealing she likes to cook curry for the whole family, Kate said she often makes a cooler version for the kids – but insisted “Charlotte is pretty good with heat”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3HsiQulgp2/

The outing as a whole aimed to showcase “modern Pakistani culture” and Kensington Palace explained on Instagram: “Organised in co-operation with the High Commission of Pakistan, today’s event showcased modern Pakistani culture, and saw The Duke and Duchess meet a range of people from Pakistan, including community leaders, those involved in British and Pakistani business, and key figures within the Diaspora community, including musicians, chefs and artists.”

And while Harry and Meghan continue their busy schedule in South Africa, William and Catherine have been as busy as ever at home too. Just days ago the pair joined Sir David Attenborough to name the polar research ship which the public previously voted to call Boaty McBoatface.

While the light-hearted name wasn’t allowed in the end, instead being used for a smaller submarine kept onboard, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ensured the event was still packed with humour as they laughed their way through the ceremony. Catherine – the ship’s official sponsor – stole the show as always in a recycled Alexander McQueen blue knee-length coats, which she’s previously worn three times on public engagements. She coupled it with some classy heels and wore her hair in loose waves over her shoulders.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B24oUBTlKdB/

Meanwhile William and Sir David – who the ship will actually be named after – both dressed to impress in smart suits for the occasion, with all three standing side by side as they waved from the top of the boat. At one point, Catherine delighted the crowd as she expertly released a bottle of Champagne which smashed on the ship’s hull, as it was docked in Merseyside, UK.

According to the couple’s official Instagram page, “The ship, operated by the British Antarctic Survey, will allow the UK’s research community to carry out world-leading research in Antarctica and the Arctic over the next 25-30 years. Researching these polar regions will help us to better understand our planet”.

And William ensured he kept the light-hearted humour coming at the ceremony, as he made reference to the public’s chosen name in his own speech, the Mail Online reports. He told the crowd: “As last week’s climate protests the world over and yesterday’s report on our oceans and frozen regions demonstrated, there has never been a more important moment for this ship to get to work, and there is no person more fitting for this beacon of scientific research to be named after than you, David.

“You have shown us how awe-inspiring the natural world is, and also how fragile and endangered it is, and you have inspired us all to do as much as we possibly can to protect it. It is my immense privilege and relief to welcome Sir David Attenborough, rather than Boaty McBoatface, to speak.”