The Princess of Wales looked elegant in an all-cream ensemble as she celebrated the Indian festival Holi in Leicestershire today. Catherine, who wore her long brown hair in loose curls, was given a red beaded flower garland as she arrived at the Aakash Odedra Company, an organisation which helps more than 1,000 people a week through its range of community dance programmes.
As the beautiful garland was placed over her head, she was told that this week they are celebrating Holi, the Indian festival of colours, love and spring. “Thank you so much for having me,” the princess said. “I’m looking forward to seeing some of the work I’ve heard some fantastic things.”
She thanked her host for the rose necklace and clasped her hands together in the traditional Namaste gesture.
Catherine is visiting Leicester today to celebrate the city’s diversity, creativity and heritage and comes as her husband, the Prince of Wales, is undertaking engagements in Cornwall.
The dance company was founded in Leicester in 2011 by Aakash Odedra, an award-winning choreographer and dancer, with a mission to create “a happier and healthier society through dance and the arts”.
The dance company recently joined forces with the charity Move Against Cancer, offering Bollywood dance classes to those recovering from the disease. Catherine was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in 2024, but last January she announced that she was in remission.
On her solo visit to Leicester on Thursday, Kate visited a community centre where she was shown some Bollywood dancing and given a separate solo performance by Birmingham-born Odedra, who is trained in Bharatanatyam and Kathak dance styles and lived in India where he became a student of Shiamak Davar, a renowned Bollywood choreographer.
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