RUSSELL MYERS: 'William and Kate’s return to the world stage marks fresh start for the royal family'

Résumé détaillé

OPINION: The Prince and Princess of Wales will visit India — the couple's first official trip overseas in four years — and Mirror man Russell Myers says looks at the significance of this...

For a couple who have spent the past four years largely apart on the world stage, the sight of the Prince and Princess of Wales stepping out into the colourful atmosphere of Mumbai this week will be met with excitement around Kensington Palace and across government.

The Princess's decision to join her husband for Earthshot is the most significant moment yet in her return to royal duties. Having been treated for cancer and announcing she was in remission in January last year, Catherine has rebuilt her public life slowly and on her own terms. A steady programme of engagements at home and a solo visit to Italy in May were carefully judged steps. India is a far bigger one.

There will be those in royal circles who remember only too well what happened the last time the couple embarked on a major overseas tour together. I was in the Caribbean in 2022 and vividly remember the controversies and successes, which became a lesson in how quickly the optics of a royal visit can turn.

Protests over slavery reparations, the wire fence in Kingston, the open-top Land Rover and a Jamaican prime minister telling them to their faces that his country intended to move on left deep scars. William was left deeply frustrated at how badly it had been handled, and the episode reshaped how he and his team have approached overseas travel since then.

This trip has been planned very differently. Yes it’s purpose is built around Earthshot, the project William cares about most and the one he hopes will define his legacy. Aides have been at pains to stress the themes of optimism and young people, and India, home to more Earthshot winners and finalists than any other nation, offers a warm and willing host.

Yet, and no intended shade on the Prince of Wales, but his wife’s presence transforms the visit. William has carried Earthshot alone in Singapore, Cape Town and Rio, and while those trips were successful, it’s fair to say Mumbai will attract more global attention the couple attract together.

If the next…

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