Child’s play: William and Kate meet some of India’s vulnerable street children

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have had lunch with the Indian premier in a former royal palace as their tour of the country enters its third day. The couple dined with Narendra Modi at New Delhi’s Hyderabad House, which has hosted heads of state from across the globe and was once the residence of India’s Maharajas. Their week-long tour of India and Bhutan was announced after Mr Modi had lunch with the Queen during his visit to the UK in January. In contrast to the formal dinner, the royals earlier enjoyed a game of carrom - a traditional Asian board game - with street children at a centre run by the charity Salaam Baalak, which provides emergency help and support to homeless youngsters at New Delhi railway station.

Spread the word. People think of them as street kids, beggars, thieves but they are just children. They deserve an education, future and a life.

Refuge director Sanjoy Roy

Around 6,600 youngsters who have either suffered physical or mental abuse, or been forced into marriage, run away from home and make the perilous journey to the drop-in centre on their own. The royals heard first-hand accounts of grinding poverty from some of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable children. The duke was heard to ask: “What can we do to help?” The charity has six homes, 21 centres and three Childline centres near bus stands and railway stations across the Indian capital. The Duke and Duchess will later travel to the north-eastern state of Assam and Kaziranga National Park - the world’s largest one-horn rhino park.

Kate street children