William and Kate mark one year since Pakistan tour with virtual Pictionary

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have played a virtual game of Pictionary with children in Pakistan.

William and Kate correctly guessed drawings depicting a birthday, recycling and cricket, with the duke joking that he was glad it was the children having to do the artwork and not him.

The video call with the Islamabad Model College for Girls and the SOS Children’s Village in Lahore marked one year since the couple’s visit to Pakistan.

After finding out about how the school’s activities have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, William and Kate were invited to take part in a game of Pictionary with three pupils.

As she tried to figure out what the first picture was, Kate, wearing a gold kurta, asked: “Is it a wedding?”

William quickly suggested “birthday” which was the right answer and Kate said: “Very good. That’s a really hard one.”

The duke, wearing a shirt and blazer with no tie, said: “I’m really glad you guys are drawing and we’re not having to draw. You’re much better, you guys.”

Th next drawing depicted a person putting a bottle into a recycling bin, which Kate was quick to guess correctly.

William said it was a “tricky” one, adding: “I like that.”

The final drawing put to the couple showed a game of cricket – a subject which came up in their call with children from the SOS Children’s Village.

They spoke to staff and children, many of whom they met last October, and William was shown a picture that a little boy called Ahmad Ghani had drawn of himself and the duke playing cricket together.

William told Ahmad: “I do very much remember that. You were very good at cricket. We had a good game going and everyone told us we had to stop.”

When he was shown the drawing, William said: “Brilliant. That’s an incredible drawing.”

The couple were also shown friendship bracelets made by a little girl called Minahil Kabeer.

Kate told her: “Thank you. We kept our friendship bracelets very safe, so thank you for those. They’re a lovely reminder of our visit when we came to see you.”

Minahil asked how the couple’s children are, and Kate replied: “They’re so well. Thank you for asking.”

Chatting with the children about how they have been coping this year, Kate asked: “Has it been hard not having visitors, and things like that, coming in?”

Ahmad told the couple he has missed his grandmother.

Saba Faisal, national director at the SOS Village, said that before the schools opened again she had asked the children that maybe they would want the long holiday to continue, but that they said: “Absolutely not, we want to go and meet our friends.”

Kate replied: “Our children were the same.”

As well as taking part in some fun and games, William and Kate also heard how mental health has become more a focus of life since their visit in 2019.

William asked Mrs Faisal: “Has anything changed on the mental health front in terms of being a bit more acknowledged or recognised in the country since we were there?”

She said “absolutely”, adding: “Covid has shifted … it’s changed the world, its a new norm now, and definitely mental health has now become a big focus in everybody’s lives because of this virus and this disease.”

Established in 1977, SOS Children’s Village provides a home and family structure to more than 150 young girls and boys, and promotes the development of children into happy, confident and resilient adults.

William and Kate visited the village twice during their tour where they took part in activities, including cricket and arts and crafts, and joined a birthday party for one of the children supported by the village.

The couple’s tour to Pakistan aimed to strengthen ties between the two nations amid political uncertainty and security concerns.