Prince William and Kate Middleton Off to a Blooming Good Start, Get Orchids Named After Them on Diamond Jubilee Trip

Royals kick off the first day of the South Pacific trek, heading to the Singapore Botanical Gardens for a touching moment of remembrance

The regals have landed!

Prince William and Kate Middleton touched down in Singapore today for the start of their Diamond Jubilee trip, and wasted no time getting down to the business of spreading their camera-ready diplomatic goodwill. First stop: the city's Botanic Gardens for a touching orchid-naming ceremony honoring both the duke and duchess and Wills' late mother, Princess Diana.

The 30-year-olds stood proudly by as a free-flowering, appropriately white and purple (the color of royalty) hybrid orchid was named the Vanda William Catherine. Afterward, the duo also paused for a moment of reflection as they viewed the Dendrobium Memoria Princess Diana orchid, a 3-foot-tall flower named for the late royal, who herself had been intending on visiting the gardens prior to her tragic death in 1997.

"It's a shame," William said. "It's beautiful. Nice, very nice."

Both flowers will bloom side by side in the VIP area of the gardens.

"It's very kind," William said. "Thank you very much."

After their two-person garden party, the couple returned to their hotel and were met by about 200 waiting fans.

As for Kate, she didn't fail to live up to her fashionista reputation, and wore not one but two designer outfits for the first day of their trip.

For the Singapore Botanic Gardens visit she donned a tan kimono-style Jenny Packham dress with a white and pink flower pattern and matching heels, while for her landing (at which both she and Wills were greeted by a receiving line of Singapore guards), she was turned out in black pumps and a white and purple dress from Prabal Gurung.

The couple is expected to be in the city for three days before heading to Malaysia.