Guten morgen!
Kate Middleton and Prince William continued their royal tour of Germany Thursday morning. Middleton brightened up a rainy day in Heidelberg in a Jenny Packham dress, and the Duchess of Cambridge finished her look with Monsoon Fleur espadrilles and an Alexander McQueen bag.
Their first stop was a visit to the German Cancer Research Institute, where they got a briefing on leukemia. Wearing lab coats, the couple took turns looking at cells through a microscope. "Ladies first!" William said. After taking a peek, his wife said, "It's in 3D, too, which is amazing."
The duo talked with the board of directors, including Nobel Prize winner Harald zur Hausen, and British stem cell biologist Dr. Michael Milsom gave them a tour of one of the laboratories.
"We are very proud that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have decided to visit the DKFZ," Dr. Michael Baumann, chairman and scientific chair of the institute, said. "They have made a clear gesture, which underlines the great importance of medical research for our society." His colleague, commercial chairman Dr. Josef Puchta, added, "The decision to come to the DKFZ also serves to show that we are recognized internationally as a leading research institution."
Next on the agenda: a visit to Heidelberg's traditional market square.
After a brief lesson from local apprentice Andreas Goebes, Kate put on an apron so she and William could try their hand at pretzel making. Mayor Eckart Wuerzner looked on as the duo twisted the dough. Kate had trouble assembling the pretzel loop, so she decided to step back and let her husband take the lead. Once William was done, the crowd him a round of applause. In addition to sampling some cake, they also "made sweeties" and enjoyed locally brewed beer.
Later in the day, the couple competed in a boat race—which William's team won.
The royal family arrived in Germany Wednesday after touring Poland for two days; Prince George and Princess Charlotte joined their parents and stole the show as they hit the tarmac.