- Title: Britain's royals on "amazing experience" of visiting sacred Bhutan monastery
- Date: 15th April 2016
- Summary: PARO, BHUTAN (APRIL 15, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PARO VALLEY'S TAKTSANG MONASTERY, POPULARLY KNOWN AS TIGER'S NEST, HIGH UP IN THE MOUNTAINS VARIOUS OF DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE, PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE, WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE, PRINCE WILLIAM, SAYING: "It was amazing, beautiful scenery as you saw and with the mountains like this and the temples at the top it was just stunning to walk up there, see all the scenery and to witness, listen to some of the history and religion of the country. It's really important when you come on a trip like this, to see some of that." REPORTER QUESTION: "You said it was easy at the halfway, was that being a bit too ambitious because it got harder presumably?" "Yes, I may have slightly spoken too soon. It was a little bit cheeky on the second part, definitely." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE, CATHERINE, SAYING: "It was an amazing experience. I feel very lucky and fortunate to see such beautiful scenery. And as William said learn about the country as well." REPORTER QUESTION: "Because you've been here, your father's been here. Obviously you'd quite like your children to come?" WILLIAM: "Yes. Well my father didn't make it to the top. So that's something I'll be reminding him of when I see him. I am sure it would be lovely for the children to come, definitely." KATE: "We did actually see one family with a small child on their front. Very brave people. Maybe when they're a bit more mobile." REPORTER QUESTION: "You've had an amazing trip but obviously you must be missing your children?" WILLIAM: "Massively yeah, of course, and we are really looking forward to seeing them, they are in good hands." DUKE AND DUCHESS WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 29th April 2016 15:57
- Keywords: Duchess of Cambridge Duke of Cambridge Kate Prince William Bhutan Royal family
- Location: PARO, BHUTAN
- City: PARO, BHUTAN
- Country: Bhutan
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Royals
- Reuters ID: LVA0014DHBZ9J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge trekked on Friday (April 15) to a Buddhist monastery on a mountainside in Bhutan.
The couple went one better than the Duke's father, Prince Charles, who, on a 1998 trip, broke off his hike to paint a watercolour.
Prince William and wife Kate dressed down for the three-hour expedition to the so-called Tiger's Nest that is perched on a mountainside at 3,000 metres (10,000 feet).
Kate's outfit featured knee-length boots, olive trousers and a leather waistcoat, while William wore an open-necked shirt and beige slacks. The couple stopped along the way to smile for the cameras against the backdrop of the 17th century Taktsang Palphug Monastery across the Paro valley.
"It was amazing, beautiful scenery as you saw and with the mountains like this and the temples at the top it was just stunning to walk up there, see all the scenery and to witness, listen to some of the history and religion of the country. It's really important when you come on a trip like this, to see some of that" William said after the climb.
William admitted that after an easy start it was a bit tricky in the second half.
"Yes, I may have slightly spoken too soon. It was a little bit cheeky on the second part, definitely," he said.
Kate was equally mesmerized by the natural beauty of the place and its culture.
"It was an amazing experience. I feel very lucky and fortunate to see such beautiful scenery. And as William said learn about the country as well," she said.
Reminded of Prince Charles' visit, William told reporters: "Well, my father didn't make it to the top. That's something I'll be reminding him of when I see him."
Porters were on hand, including one with an oxygen cylinder, but the couple - William,33, and Kate a year older - managed without difficulty as they walked earlier hand-in-hand through sunlit wooded uplands.
The royal couple finally got some time to themselves on the sixth day of their hectic tour of India and Bhutan, where they were welcomed on Thursday by the young - and equally glamorous - king and queen of the tiny Himalayan nation.
The Duchess said they saw a family carrying a baby with them and trekking all the way up to the monastery and added that once their children are bigger, they might come back.
"We did actually see one family with a small child on their front. Very brave people. Maybe when they're [George and Charlotte] a bit more mobile."
On Saturday, William and Kate will return to India to visit the Taj Mahal, which was built in 1632 by Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife.
William's mother, the late Princess Diana, visited the monument in 1992 and was memorably photographed sitting alone on a bench in front of the marble mausoleum. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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