Recently, Pakistan hosted the two very charming members from the British royal family, Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. This was not the first visit from the Royal family to our country but, like the previous ones, marks its significance in the pages of history.

Such visits by the dignitaries are well planned in advance and have political, social and economic agendas for both the hosts and the guests.

I believe we have a lot to learn from the distinguished guests that we receive from different parts of the world, as each guest carries some peculiar national traits of the country they belong to, and this becomes extremely important when the guests are head of states or carry a strong legacy of a royal background.

Prince William is the eldest son of Prince Charles (the future King of Britain) and the late Princess Diana. Princess Diana was loved across the globe for her charm, grace and beauty, and is still remembered as the ‘Queen of Hearts’ for her remarkably soft nature and the social work that she engaged in during her short life.

Pakistanis welcomed the royal couple warmly and their actions, clothes, gestures, etc., became the primary topic of discussion in households across the country. We are, as a nation, extremely enthusiastic and hospitable and we made our best efforts to display that to make the royal couple’s visit memorable.

However, there are some points that need to be focused on. Instead of being enticed by the couple’s charming personalities only, we should ponder on the hidden strengths of the honourable guests, the essence of their actions and the effects of it on those they met. Then we should try to inculcate the positive things in our lives rather than just be simple celebrity fans taking note of their looks and dresses only.

Respecting different cultures

We have deep-rooted cultural values and heritage, but we hardly acknowledge this strength of ours.

On her trip to Pakistan, the Duchess dressed in several of our traditional dresses and many were by local designers and brands. She looked beautiful and the beauty of our cultural outfits was highlighted across the globe. Through this, our traditional dresses made it to numerous front pages of newspapers and magazines.

Duchess Kate also wore a pair of earrings that had Pakistani stones embedded in it, by a local brand and global fashion pundits are now loving it!

This only serves as a reminder to us that we are blessed with a lot of natural bounties, such as precious stones, scenic sites, etc., but we hardly value them.

Instead of just praising the future queen, we should realise that ‘our’ natural assets are remarkably valuable and we should use them instead of buying expensive imported ornaments, clothes, etc.

Simplicity

Kate Middleton’s Pakistani dresses were decent and simple! If the Duchess could carry herself so elegantly in simple outfits that had few embellishments, why can’t we adhere to such style too?

I know so many girls who wish to have brand new outfits for every occasion. And it doesn’t stop at this, they opt for expensive and, at times, unnecessary embellishments and accessories just to seek people’s attention.

Sometimes, the styles and cuts are chosen to match the ongoing fashion trend rather than considering the style that suits one best. Choose simple and elegant dresses that go well with your personality and that is when you are bound to stand out!

And yes, the Duchess has often repeated her outfits. The point here is, if someone like her can do it, who is so much in the limelight and photographed each time she steps out, why do we feel hesitant to repeat an outfit? At each wedding, we feel compelled to make new dresses as we feel everyone has seen us before in a perfectly nice and expensive dress we recently made for another wedding. We spend a lot of money trying to impress others, who might not even notice it. Do think about it!

Etiquettes

There are many etiquettes that the members of the royal family have to follow. It is very pleasing to see them practising it.

Our media is talking about the graceful moves of the couple. But dear children, the lesson here is that anyone can follow the rules of general ethics and make sure they know the proper etiquettes with regards to socialising, eating, talking, moving, sitting or any other thing.

Good manners make the beauty and grace in each person’s personality emerge automatically.

Groom yourself. You do not have to be a princess from a royal background, but you will be respected and loved for what you are if you act with grace and display good manners. Etiquettes not only polish one’s personality, but also reflect a person’s family background.

It is unfortunate that many of the mannerisms and courtesy that were so important to the generation before us are now considered old-fashioned and have been replaced by a more casual approach. We must not forget that good manners are never out of fashion.

Gentleness

Has anyone of you ever wondered why is the royal couple talked so much about? No, it is not just because they are heirs from one of the most influential monarchies in the world or because of their incredible financial status.

It is mostly because of their gentle, compassionate and empathetic styles. No one likes an arrogant or dominant person, but, on the contrary, anyone who goes out of the way to show feelings for others and worthy causes is always loved.

I have seen people being extremely rash/imprudent, which I wish to condemn here.

If you wish to be liked by others, make sure to always try to make them feel that you are one of them and care for them.

Empathy

Being members of society, we all should contribute in any way that we can for the betterment of the world and its people. We do not have to possess huge fortunes to be able to make a mark in this world — there are many little things that we can do that will make a big difference to someone’s life.

The Duke and Duchess’s visit to places like the SOS Village, etc., may be a routine for them as they indulge in many such philanthropic activities, but we need to learn from the message of that visit. It should inspire us that, whoever or whatever we are, we all can spare some time for the deserving segments of our society. We can give our time to lessen their loneliness or we can also go to orphanages and share with them our toys, meals and clothing items!

The effort and time that we give to patients, orphans and many others, is sometimes more precious than money.

Tolerance and harmony

Some of the most striking images of this royal tour were of the Cambridges’ visit to the Badshahi Mosque, where they not only went barefoot, but with the Duchess of Cambridge dressed modestly in pants-kameez and her head respectfully covered.

The couple also sat down on the carpet and listened to the recitation of the Holy Quran and took part in an inter-faith event.

Right now, there is so much discord in the world and there is dire need for such inter-faith harmony. We too need to respect others’ religious norms and make an effort to bring about inter-faith harmony in order for everyone to live in peace and with love.

The lessons we have here is that we, who are blessed, can be the ‘princes’ and ‘princesses’ of this little world of ours with a down-to-earth approach and a heart full of love and empathy for others!

Published in Dawn, Young World, October 26th, 2019