Prince William and Kate meet Delhi’s most vulnerable children

Prince William and Kate made a special visit Tuesday morning to children often overlooked and forgotten in India, but very much in need of love and attention.

On day three of their official royal trip to India and Bhutan, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the Salaam Baalak Trust, an organization that supports some of the most vulnerable young people living on the streets of Delhi.

The duke and duchess first visited one of the Trust’s locations near New Delhi Railway Station, where they heard that up to 1,500 children arrive into Delhi on trains each year. The children, the royals were told, often travel alone and often to escape a range of personal circumstances.

Kate and William saw firsthand that the charity assists with the children’s physical and medical care and offers programs to foster educational, creative and social action.

“Their Royal Highnesses were interested to see children’s mental health being treated as a key priority in helping children to seek physical healthcare, shelter, and eventually education,” said a Kensington Palace spokeswoman. “Young people’s mental health is a major focus of [William and Kate’s] charitable work.”

Later today, the royal couple will meet with India’s Prime Minister and then leave Delhi for Assam, a state in northeastern India known for its wildlife.

William and Kate will visit Kaziranga National Park, a World Heritage Site and a wildlife conservation site of great global importance. In addition to being the home of elephants, Kaziranga is home to two-thirds of the world’s population of Indian one-horned rhinos, also known as the Rhinoceros Unicornis.

Tonight, William and Kate will join local citizens around a campfire and see colorful dance and musical performances.