Spice girl: Kate proves partial to a chilli chutney as she meets restaurant team

The Princess of Wales told owners of an Indian restaurant she was “OK with spice” during a visit to Leicester where she tried traditional snacks and watched dance performances which she described as “moving”.

Kate also remarked that the Prince of Wales loved chocolate while visiting the Golden Mile, a road famous for having one of the highest concentrations of Indian jewellery, sari, and fashion boutiques in the UK, in the Belgrave area of the city on Thursday.

Married couple Dharmesh and Enna Lakhani, who run Indian restaurant Bobby’s, which has been in the Golden Mile for 50 years, said Kate had enjoyed the sweet and savoury snacks she tried.

The Princess of Wales was visiting the Golden Mile in Leicester (James Glossop/The Times/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - James Glossop/The Times

Speaking about having the princess in their restaurant, Mr Lakhani said: “It was absolutely amazing, it was an honour. We couldn’t even dream of something like this happening.

“This was blessings from above, I always say that. I feel as if somebody’s looking down on us.

“The fact that she was so interested, we kind of thought ‘wow’.

“We didn’t want to let her go, we wanted to kind of hold on to her – we even told her that, we said ‘we would keep you here all day but we can’t’.”

Kate described saris she was shown as a ‘real celebration of colour’ (James Glossop/The Times/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - James Glossop/The Times

Mrs Lakhani said: “She was so warm, so kind, so approachable as soon as she came in.”

When trying a chutney made with green chillies, the princess told the couple: “I’m OK with spice.”

The princess told the restaurant owners, while sipping tea and trying savoury snacks and sweets: “Congratulations, it’s amazing your business is still thriving.”

She remarked that in a “fast-paced” world, “sitting down and eating as a family together becomes harder and harder”.

The Princess of Wales watched dancers at The Aakash Odedra Company (James Glossop/The Times/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - James Glossop/The Times

The princess also visited sari shop Ladlee, where she remarked on “absolutely extraordinary” outfits, which she described as a “real celebration of colour”.

Kate visited award-winning choreographer and dancer Aakash Odedra, who was once a student of the renowned Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar, at his dance company based in the Belgrave area.

When she arrived at the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre, Kate, wearing a cream dress with a long, cream jacket over the top, bowed her head as Mr Odedra placed a garland with red roses and pearls, which he had made, around her neck.

After a performance by Mr Odedra’s dance company, during which she was given a red rose, she said: “My children would love it, they love their dance.”

Members of the community gathered to see Kate as she walked down the Golden Mile (James Glossop/The Times/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - James Glossop/The Times

The princess then viewed a candlelit performance of Mr Odedra’s latest solo work, Songs Of The Bulbul, an interpretation of an ancient Sufi story about a captured songbird, to live music.

Kate gave Mr Odedra a standing ovation as she clapped and said it was “so moving”.

Members of the community gathered on the pavement outside the community centre to see the Princess of Wales as she walked down the Golden Mile, with one girl giving her flowers to thank her for her visit.