William and Kate leave Bhutan and head to Taj Mahal to retrace Diana's steps

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge left Bhutan having become firm friends with their hosts the Dragon King and his Queen.

William and Kate hit it off with Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his wife Queen Jetsun Pema during their short three-day visit.

The Cambridges' hosts held a welcome dinner for them on Thursday and the foursome talked long into the night with the gathering not finishing until 11pm - two hours over schedule.

The Duchess was wearing a necklace as she walked along the red carpet with William to their plane - a gift from the Queen.

William and Kate left Bhutan on Saturday for the last stop on their seven-day tour of India and Bhutan - Agra, where they will tour the Taj Mahal.

The Duke's mother Diana, Princess of Wales was famously pictured sitting alone in front of the monument to love in February 1992, prompting rumours about the state of her marriage to the Prince of Wales.

The photograph became the defining image of the tour and by the end of the year it was announced the couple had agreed to separate.

The Cambridges' communications secretary Jason Knauf has said: "The Duke of Cambridge is of course aware of the huge esteem his mother, the late Princess of Wales is held in India and he appreciates the status of the images that exist of the Princess at the Taj.

"He feels incredibly lucky to visit a place where his mother's memory is kept alive by so many who travel there - 24 years on from her visit to the Taj, the Duke and the Duchess are looking forward to seeing this beautiful place for themselves and creating some new memories as they say thank you to the people of India at the conclusion of this tour.''

The Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the mid 17th century, a monument of love to his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

It took 22 years and 20,000 men to erect the building from white marble transported from 200 miles away by elephants.