William and Imran Khan remember speaking of PM’s political ambitions with Diana

The Duke of Cambridge and Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan have reminisced about the ex-test cricketer speaking of his political ambitions more than 20 years ago.

The duke told how everyone laughed at a gathering in Richmond-upon-Thames, south west London, in 1996 when Mr Khan announced his ambition of becoming prime minister to William and his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

The former international cricketer was a friend of Diana, who had taken the young duke to visit him and his then wife, Jemima Goldsmith,

The pair were reunited in on Tuesday in Pakistan as William and the Duchess of Cambridge met Mr Khan on the second day of their five-day royal tour of the region, at the Prime Minister’s official home in the capital Islamabad.

William and Kate are the first royals to visit the Commonwealth country in the premiership of Mr Khan, following his election last year.

Mr Khan recalled a conversation with William about his ambitions of becoming prime minister during their meeting.

On his younger aspirations of becoming a cricketer, Mr Khan said: “When I went with my mother to see a Test match.

“My cousin was playing and he scored a century and I told my mother I wanted to be a Test cricketer.

“I never realised how difficult it was to eventually become one.

“Similarly, when I told you that I wanted to succeed I didn’t realise it would take me 22 years.”

The duke replied: “Sure. It’s not so easy.”

Kate, wearing white trousers by the Pakistani designer Maheen Khan, an emerald green tunic by Catherine Walker, said: “You stuck with it.”

The duchess also opted by a navy patterned scarf by another local designer and earrings by Zeen.

Diana visited a cancer hospital in Lahore as a guest of Mr Khan and his then wife, Jemima Goldsmith, in May 1997 – just three months before she died.

William and Kate were also due to attend a private lunch with the Prime Minister.

Earlier on Tuesday they met with President Arif Alvi and first lady Samina Alvi.

Welcoming the couple on their first tour of the country, the 70-year-old President recalled running along Victoria Road in Karachi to catch a glimpse of the Queen during her 1961 State Visit.

“It was miraculous to see her,” he told William, who spoke of the Prince of Wales’s visit to Pakistan in 2006.