Prince William and Kate don grass skirts and dance in Tuvalu

Prince William and Kate Middleton donned colorful skirts and showed off their dance skills on the island of Tuvalu, the last stop on their tour of the Far East and South Pacific.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, both 30, arrived on the tiny, remote island on Tuesday, 18th September 2012, where they were transported from the airport on thrones carried by men wearing grass skirts.

Later that day, they joined locals at a dancing celebration. Both got up and joined the performers, swaying their hips and moving their arms.

Kate got to her feet and joined in multiple times, while William saved his dancing for later in the evening.

They also took part in another local custom, in which dignitaries spray perfume on the dancers they like as a symbol of respect or gratitude.

The royal couple brought a bottle of Paul Smith London for Men, which they used to spray the performers.

The high-energy evening comes after the royal couple had an overnight stay at a resort on Tavanipupu in the Solomon Islands.

William and Kate also went snorkeling, sipped pina coladas and enjoyed a romantic dinner under a bamboo canopy, despite heavy tropical rain showers.

"I was astounded at how down to earth and lovely they were. They just seemed to love it. They were happy and relaxed," said Pamela Kimberly, the resort's co-owner.

Tuvalu is the last stop on the couple's nine-day tour, marking Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

The Royal pair previously stopped in Singapore, Malaysia and the Solomon Islands.

The trip came as furor erupted over the publication of topless photos of Kate, taken during the couple's vacation in Southern France earlier this month.

On Tuesday, 18th September 2012, a French court ordered a magazine publisher to hand over all digital copies of the photos within 24 hours, and blocked further publication of the images.

The ruling only applies to the French publisher, and not other publications that have already run the photos in Italy and Ireland.

God save the Queen. Long Live England, WIlliam and Kate.

Prince William and Kate Middleton having a good time in Solomon Islands, 16-18 September 2012

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate in 'much brighter mood' during their Solomon Islands visit beginning 16th September 2012 to 18 September 2012.

After Singapore and Malaysia, the royal couple continue their 9 days tour of the Far East and the Pacific, by visiting Solomon Islands.

Here, it is evident that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are in a "much brighter mood" now that their lawyers are dealing with the legal action over the topless photos of the Duchess.

Putera William dan Catherine Middleton kini di kepulauan Solomon selepas melawat Sabah, Malaysia

Selepas melawat Sabah, Malaysia, pewaris tahkta British, Putera William dan Kate Middleton kini berada di Kepulauan Solomon, di Pasifik, kira kira 900 batu dari Papua New Guinea.

70,000 penduduk Solomon menyambut ketibaan pewaris tahkta British ini....

Solomon Island mempunyai 1,000 pulau dengan keluasan 28,400 kilometer persegi dan ibunegaranya Honoria di kepulauan Guadalcanal yang pernah menjadi lokasi pertempuran perang dunia ke 2 antara Jepun dan tentera Perikatan.

All the best Kate and William.

Putera William dan Catherine Middleton, riang dan gembira melawat Lembah Danum, Sabah, 15 September 2012

Raut riang kegembiraan jelas terpancar di wajah Prince William dan isterinya Kate Middleton di Danum Valley, Lahad Datu, Sabah, pada Sabtu, 15th September 2012. Kate nampak tidak terjejas dengan kontroversi gambarnya yang disiarkan sebuah majalah Perancis dan disedari pasangan diraja ini semalam, Jumaat 14 September, 2012 ketika masih berada di Kuala Lumpur.


Jika anda berkunjung ke Hutan lembah Danum dekat Lahad Datu, Sabah maka inilah pemandangan terindah yang pasti dikenang sampai bila bila. Anda harus bangun seawal 5 pagi dan naik menara pemerhatian untuk melihat hutan tropika berusia 130 juta tahun ini diselubungi kabus dan awan, bak salju mendakap minda. Hutan Danum lebih tua dari hutan Amazon di Amerika Selatan.

This is the famed view of Danum Valley pristine rainforest, older than Amazon rainforest in Latin America, majestically covered by mist, can be seen early morning from an observation post.







Kate Middleton jika dilihat dari dekat, memang lawa, cantik dan anggun. Namun hatinya hanya boleh dimiliki oleh seorang Putera Raja dan pewaris Tahkta Britain. Kalau setakat lelaki biasa bujang terlajak atau teruna trang tang tang yang mau beli rokok pun susah, enggak bisa mengorat si Kate dong hehehe..... kecuali Kate dari zombie kg Pisang!!!










Duke dan Duchess of Cambridge, Putera William dan isterinya Catherine Middleton yang dalam lawatan empat hari ke Malaysia, siang tadi melawat pusat konservasi hutan simpan lembah Danum dekat Lahad Datu, Sabah pada Sabtu 15 September 2012.

Lawatan ke lembah Danum yang dilakukan sejak pagi hingga ke petang tadi, bagi melihat dengan lebih jelas usaha Malaysia khususnya Sabah, dalam program pemuliharaan hutan hujan tropika.

Pasangan diraja British itu tiba Kota Kinabalu malam tadi, jmumaat 14 September 2012 sebelum diraikan dalam majlis resepsi dihoskan kerajaan negeri bersama ketua menteri Sabah Datuk Seri Musa Aman di hotel penginapan di Tanjung Aru.


Dan awal pagi tadi, Putera William, pewaris tahkta Britain selepas ayahnya Charles dan Catherine atau Kate menaiki helikopter Sabah Air yang dipandu juruterbang berpengalaman, Kapten Naru Kiob (gambar atas yg pakai tie), ke pusat konservasi lembah Danum, yang menempatkan pelbagai spesies flora dan fauna serta diiktiraf antara hutan hujan tropika tertua di dunia.






Inilah canopy walkway yang menakutkan!!!

Untuk rekod, hutan Danum yang berusia 130 juta tahun dikatakan lebih tua daripada hutan Amazon di Amerika Selatan.

Di sebalik kontroversi gambar percutian pasangan di raja ini yang disiarkan sebuah majalah Perancis, sehingga mengundang tindakan saman, mereka kelihatan ceria sepanjang lawatan ini.

Sejurus tiba, pasangan diraja ini diberi taklimat di pusat luar lembah Danum yang menyediakan kemudahan penyelidikan saintifik hutan tropika Asia Tenggara dengan kerjasama Royal Society London.

Lebih 300 penyelidikan sudah dijalankan di sini termasuk oleh pelajar jurusan Sarjana dan Doktor Falsafah dari Universiti terkemuka Britain seperti Cambridge.

Putera William dan Kate kemudiannya meluangkan masa kira kira 45 minit melakukan "jungle walk" selain melawat makmal penyelidikan.

Persinggahan seterusnya ke canopy walkway berupa perjalanan merentasi hutan Danum, melalui titian khas sepanjang 300 meter, mencecah ketinggian 26 meter dari tanah.

Lembah Danum seluas 438 kilometer persegi, terletak 82 kilometer dari Lahad datu, diuruskan Yayasan Sabah, menjadi contoh program pemuliharaan hutan di dunia.

Antara tarikan di sini, keindahan hutan yang diselubungi awan pada awal pagi.

Hutan simpan Lembah Danum dikelaskan hutan terlindung kelas satu, terletak di kawasan hutan yang belum terusik ekosistemnya.

Kawasan ini menjadi habitat 125 spesies mamalia, 72 reptilia, 300 spesies burung dan 56 amphibia.

Termasuk spesies dikategorikan terlindung sepenuhnya iaitu orang utan, badak sumatra, monyet belanda dan gajah pygmy.

Dianggarkan 4,000 orang utan menjadikan hutan lembah danum sebagai habitatnya, menjadikan ia habitat terbesar primate itu di Borneo.

Program pemuliharaan di lembah danum bertujuan memastikan kelangsungan hutan hujan tropika dan hidupan liar, untuk generasi akan datang.

Pasangan diraja itu kembali ke Kota Kinabalu lewat petang tadi dan menginap di sebuah pusat peranginan 5 bintang di Tanjung Aru sebelum meneruskan siri lawatan ke luar negara sempena jubli intan pemerintahan Ratu Elizabeth Kedua ke kepulauan Solomon, awal pagi esok.


Ketibaan William dan Kate di lapangan terbang Kota Kinabalu pada Jumaat 14 Sept 2012, disambut gadis berpakaian tradisi Sabah termasuk kaum Rungus ini.


Ketika di Kuala Lumpur, Kate Middleton sempat bertemu pemenang pingat perak Olimpik London 2012 dan Beijing 2008, Dato Lee Chong Wei dan Pandelela Rinong, gangsa Olimpik London terjun 10 meter platform.

All the best William and Kate, God save the Queen.

Prince William and Kate Middleton, toured Danum Valley, Sabah, East Malaysia, September 15th, 2012 despite furore over topless pictures of the Duchess

The British royal couple, Prince William and Kate Middleton in Danum Valley, Lahad Datu, Sabah, Saturday, 15th September 2012









This is the famed view of Danum Valley pristine rainforest, older than Amazon rainforest in Latin America, majestically covered by mist, can be seen early morning from an observation post.


The visit as shown on Malaysian TV




The royal couple were greeted warmly by the indigenous people of Sabah upon arrival at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Sabah, East Malaysia on the evening of Friday, 14th September 2012.


Flashback, while in Kuala Lumpur, Kate Middleton chit chatted with 2 Malaysian Olympic medalists, Lee Chong Wei - double Olympics silver medalist, 2008 and 2012 and partially seen here is Pandelela Rinong, Bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, 10 metres paltform.


Prince William and Kate on board a Sabah Air Helicopter piloted by the experienced Kapten Naru Kiob, en route to Danum Valley, Sabah, East Malaysia.


























This is the scary part of Danum Valley, crossing the 300 metres canopy walkway, at 26 metres high from ground level!!


Prince William and his wife toured a forest in eastern Malaysia Saturday amid a tempest and furore over the publication of topless photographs of Kate by a French magazine, Closer.

Shortly after arrival in Danum Valley, about 1,850 kilometres east of Kuala Lumpur, the royal couple was briefed by scientists about efforts to conserve and protect one of the world's few remaining virgin forests.

Throughout the visit, Prince Charming, William and his wife Catherine put on a brave face and smiling all the way.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the pristine Danum Valley rainforest in Malaysia's Sabah state, as part of the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations.

Ignoring the furore caused by the publication of the pictures by the French magazine Closer, the couple spent 20 minutes trekking through the rainforest wearing long-sleeved safari-style shirts, khaki pants and thick boots to keep out the leeches.

Despite the controversial photos, the humidity and fact she was dressed down, Kate looked unruffled and grinned throughout, clearly enjoying their stroll through the jungle.

Announcing a world exclusive, French Closer magazine invited readers, via its website, to pick up the new edition and enjoy "the photos that the world can't wait to see the Duchess of Cambridge topless on a guesthouse terrace". The pictures were apparently taken while the British royals were on holiday in France last week.



Splashed on the front cover and inside on five pages, many of the grainy photos feature what appears to be Catherine wearing just the bottoms of a black and white bikini and looking so fit that the magazine said "Victoria's Secret angels can stand aside."

In a swift move, St. James Palace fired off a statement condemning the photos:

"Their Royal Highnesses have been hugely saddened to learn that a French publication and a photographer have invaded their privacy in such a grotesque and totally unjustifiable manner. The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and all the more upsetting to the duke and duchess for being so. Their Royal Highnesses had every expectation of privacy in the remote house. It is unthinkable that anyone should take such photographs, let alone publish them."

Officials aside, the topless paparazzi photos have already provoked outrage from British media, and UK papers will likely refuse to print the pics in the same way that many outlets -- save for the Sun, which eventually relented -- declined to post the Prince Harry nude photos.



Now back to the royal pair visit to Danum Valley. The Duke and Duchess were then winched up a 117-foot (35-metre) tree to a canopy walkway, where they crossed a wobbly Indiana Jones-style bridge to witness up close the jungle paradise in which a new species of frog was discovered two years ago.

They were then fitted with special harnesses and helmets in a private room before being hoisted 138ft up into a giant parashorea tomentella tree using a “counterweight pulley system” which had been set by rope access technicians to their combined weight, believed to be 150kg.

Despite venting their anger in a statement on Friday which spoke of the magazine’s “grotesque and totally unjustifiable actions”, the Duke showed he was determined to maintain a sense of humour.

As they waited in their harnesses at the base of the tree, the Duke looked at his wife and quipped: “Girls don’t have the same wardrobe malfunctions as men do. I hope I don’t have any wardrobe malfunctions.”

The Duchess, appearing somewhat apprehensive as she looked upwards at her route of ascent into the jungle canopy, said: “I’m going to go “whee” and just fly up.”

The Duke then asked the rope technicians at the base of the tree: “Is it ok to squeak as we go up?”

Simon Amos, the rope access technician who oversaw their ascent up the tree, said: “It’s the closest anyone will ever get to time travel. What they are seeing is exactly what it would have looked like 150 million years ago as there has never been an ice age here. It is as if time stood still.”

Suspended in the air, with sweeping views over the top of the jungle canopy, they were greeted up the tree by Kalsum Yusah, 32, from Sabah, who completed a PhD in entomology at Cambridge University two years ago and is now based at the field centre.

Miss Yusah said: “They just said it was such a surreal, totally unique experience up there because they had never been up in the canopy.

“They enjoyed it immensely and they weren’t scared of the heights. They asked about the primates, birds and insects and they were interested in how the forest is sustained.

“They enjoyed it because it gets them into the midst of the canopy, where there’s nothing much else going on.”

After spending around 10 minutes up in the air, they were lowered back down to the ground, with wide smiles, clearly amazed by what they had seen.

“That was rather surreal, wasn’t it?” said the Duchess. “It was amazing, such a treat, really brilliant to be up there. I could have stayed up there for hours, even though there were a lot of ants.”

The Duke wryly joked that even high up in the jungle canopy, he could not escape a photographer who had been positioned high up in an adjacent tree. “We saw a spy in a tree,” he said, before thanking the rope technicians: “Thank you for keeping us safe, that was super.”

The relatively untouched valley is home to endangered orangutans, clouded leopards, elephants, sun bears and sambar deer. The royal couple, however, were not lucky enough to spot any of the rainforest's larger inhabitants.

They had earlier flown by helicopter to the jungle - recommended to them by Prince Charles - from Sabah's capital Kota Kinabalu.

William is a Fellow of the British Royal Society, which runs a research station dedicated to studying the rainforest in the Danum Valley.

During the trip they visited the station, where they were briefed on ongoing conservation activities in the area.

"Their trip to Sabah is focused on rainforest conservation. Going to Danum will provide them with a unique insight into it and also the work of the Royal Society," a British High Commission official told the media.

The Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak occupy the northern portion of the island of Borneo, which is shared with Indonesia and Brunei.

Borneo's unique biodiversity is threatened by logging, palm oil cultivation and other development that leads to deforestation. The Sabah rhino is just one species close to extinction, say forestry officials.

The young royals are touring the globe throughout 2012 as part of celebrations marking the 60-year reign of William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

William and Kate will this weekend move on to the Solomon Islands and later visit the island nation of Tuvalu.

There were no scheduled public functions until they leave for the Solomon Islands early Sunday, 16th September 2012, which coincides with Malaysia Day.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge learned about the topless photos on Friday, 14th September, 2012 while in Kuala Lumpur.

The royal couple immediately launched legal action for breach of privacy against the publishers of Closer magazine in France.

The editor of the French gossip magazine dismissed the suit and said the photographs of Kate sunning herself on a balcony wearing only bikini pants with her husband were "in no way degrading."

The magazine said the images were taken on September 5th, at the castle of Viscount Linley, a nephew of Queen Elizabeth.

The publication came one month after a British tabloid ran photographs of Prince Harry naked in a Las Vegas hotel.

God save the Queen.