The Princess of Wales sparked a very unexpected royal moment as she went barefoot during her visit to Leicester on Thursday.
Kate, 44, removed her high heels as a sign of respect when she entered the city's Shreeji Dham Haveli Hindu Temple, before joining in a dance with Hindu worshippers and learning about the religion and culture.
The Princess joined a women-only group performing a traditional garba dance in front of a statue of the Hindu deity Lord Krishna after being garlanded with flowers, and a light-coloured bindi pressed between her eyes. She had her chance to dance the garba at the Hindu temple, performed in a circle with the women repeatedly turning to face the left, then right, as the circle rotated.
The royal, known for her love of high heels, was wearing her beloved Gianvito Rossi pumps in the shade of brown suede on this occasion. However, she removed them for her visit to the temple, making a rare royal exception in a meaningful gesture. As she went barefoot, Kate appeared to be wearing a pair of nude tights.
While it wasn't officially enforced, it is believed that the late Queen Elizabeth II generally preferred royal ladies to wear tights for formal events.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesBarefoot royals
The Princess of Wales is always seen wearing pantyhose, ranging from opaque and denier to flesh-coloured. She has only gone barefoot a handful of times on royal engagements since her marriage to Prince William in 2011.
In 2016, Kate, then Duchess of Cambridge, took off her shoes during a seven-day official visit to India and Bhutan with her husband as they visited the Gandhi museum. She also went barefoot in 2012 when she judged a judo match in London.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are known to love going barefoot in their Montecito home in California with children Archie and Lilibet.
Last October, Meghan revealed she always likes to open the door to guests with no shoes on, as the act "demystifies" her to people. She said: "It demystifies. People walk in and go, 'Oh, she’s in this with me.' And what are they drawn to? Your kitchen. They come right in, and suddenly everyone’s a little bit softened."
Princess Diana was also photographed barefoot when she visited the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden in 1997, and Prince William posed without his shoes for his official 21st birthday portrait.
Kate's joyful away day to Leicester
The future Queen spent the day in Leicester touring the Shreeji Dham Haveli Hindu Temple and visiting award-winning choreographer Aakash Odedra’s dance company in the city.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesAfter a performance by the artist’s group, when Kate was given a red rose, she said: "My children would love it, they love their dance." Mayur Kachela from the temple’s executive committee hosted the visit and joked afterwards his royal guest did not need much persuading, replying “Oh, go on then” when he asked if she wanted to join in.
Mr Kachela said Kate’s gesture was "absolutely amazing", adding, "This visit means a lot. There’s not just one faith, one religion out there; there are many faiths and religions. It means a lot to have somebody of such importance and significance actually come in and try and understand, and try to acknowledge what we’re doing here."
When she first arrived, Kate told Mr Kachela, "Thank you very much for having me, I feel very lucky to be invited". She also made an offering to Krishna, pouring a small amount of milk, favoured by the deity, before walking around a large symbolic model of a mountain on which the god appeared.
She received gifts of a saree and a gold-coloured scarf before having an impromptu vegetarian lunch, featuring samosas, pilau rice and salad, provided free to devotees. The temple is dedicated to the teachings of 16th century Hindu saint Shrimad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji, and serves the religious figure’s followers in the local community.
Earlier, the princess walked part of Leicester’s Golden Mile, a road famous for having one of the highest concentrations of Indian jewellery, sarees, and fashion boutiques in the UK – and revealed her tolerance for hot spices.
