Mumbai: From superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to young talent like Parineeti Chopra and Huma Qureshi -- the best of Bollywood extended a warm welcome to British Royals Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton here.
The reception on Sunday night at The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai saw the creme de la creme of the film, sport and business society come together at the hotel for a glittering evening with the royal couple to raise funds for organisations including Childline India, Magic Bus and Door Step School, India.
Bollywood's top-rated star Shah Rukh Khan, who looked dapper in a tuxedo and a bow-tie, and was the host for the evening with Aishwarya, tweeted: "The royal couple was so gracious and full of poise. Tonight as I said is the night of the King, the Queen and the Knights. Wish all nights were same."
Madhuri, the dancing diva of the tinsel town, looked ethereal in a sari for the gala, where she was accompanied by her husband Shriram Nene.
"It was a pleasure meeting their highnesses, William and Kate. Very gracious and down to earth," Madhuri tweeted after the event.
From the snapshots that the stars have shared on social media, it is evident that special efforts were made to offer a true Indian flavour for the British Royal couple on their first visit to India.
Prince William, Kate Middleton explore their 'Desi' side on Day 1 of their visit to India
The stars, which included names like Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Karan Johar, Anil Kapoor, Aditi Rao Hydari, Alia Bhatt, Farhan Akhtar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sophie Choudry, Sonam Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, singer Kanika Kapoor, were dressed elegantly -- mostly in creations by designer Manish Malhotra, but Duchess of Cambridge, who is known for her style, stood out in a blue gown for the evening. Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar also graced the occasion with wife Anjali.
Interestingly, the celebrities lined up to shake hands with the couple.
The decor was done majorly in marigold, and the centerpieces at the table were carefully chosen -- it is seen in images shared by the British Asian Trust.
As described by Huma, the gala dinner was "a royal affair".
On their tour, the royal couple will also attend a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, visit Kaziranga National Park in Assam, take a break for a trip to Bhutan, and return to Agra in Uttar Pradesh to view the Taj Mahal.
