Camilla’s outfit evokes Diana memories

London: One would wonder if it was a mere coincidence, or a deliberate attempt to refresh the memories of late Princess Diana?

The Duchess of Cornwall, who is currently on a visit to Pakistan along with Prince Charles, wore a Diana-like outfit on Tuesday at last night’s glitzy reception at the British High Commission in Islamabad.

The white salwar-kameez, which the Duchess wore, was much similar to the dress that Princess Diana wore while on a visit to Pakistan almost a decade ago, reported the Daily Mail.

The silk outfit, with heavy embroidery, struck a perfect balance between western fashion and eastern tradition, added the paper.

Ten-years ago, the late Princess Diana was pictured at a fund-raising dinner for her great friend the former Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan, who, coincidentally, was also invited to last night's glitzy reception at the British High Commission in Islamabad. She too wore a white silk shalwar kameez with intricate embroidery. But while she topped the look with a broad choker necklace, Camilla chose to leave her neck bare.

At a later engagement to launch a new charitable initiative supporting young entrepreneurs, Camilla was given two exquisitely made, crystal and pearl-encrusted outfits commissioned for her by the Government of Pakistan. Worth around 700 pounds each, the royal blue and fuschia-pink outfits had long tunic tops with voluminous silver-grey palazzo-style trousers and matching dupatta veils.

However, a Clarence House spokesman said he could not promise that the Duchess would wear them. "They were gift and she did not know about them until today. We already have all the clothes she needs for the trip," the paper quoted him as saying.

Farah Leghari, the Pakistani designer who made the outfits given for Camilla, said that she hoped the Duchess might wear them to high-profile engagements later on in the week. She also revealed she had even flown over a tailor from Karachi in order to alter them to fit Camilla's figure.

Charles was given a rather more humble traditional hat, known as a chitrali. Joking with photographers, and with a flick of his wrist, he made to play with it like a frisbee.