Britain’s Prince William was "overawed" by Beijing’s Forbidden City.
The 32-year-old prince was stunned by the scale of the imperial palace – which was built in the early 1400s and was home to 24 emperors – and hailed it as "phenomenal".
Discussing the Forbidden City, which is now a museum containing 1.8 million items across 980 buildings, including 90 palaces and courtyards, with China’s deputy president Li Yuanchao, he said: "I have been for a walk around the Forbidden City.
"I have to say I was overawed by the size, the scale and the sheer detail of much of the architecture there, it was phenomenal."
Earlier in the day, William – whose pregnant wife Duchess Catherine has remained in the UK with their 21-month-old son Prince George – took part in a cultural collaboration between Britain and China by painting the eyes of a model of Shaun the Sheep, the popular Aardman Animations character who is the mascot for the Year of Cultural Exchange.
Asked to pose with the character, the prince joked: "You know I can’t do two things at once."
Inspecting his efforts, he added: "It’s not particularly stylish but it will pass."
William is due to visit Shanghai today (03.03.15), and then he will travel to Yunnan province.
Prince William overawed in Beijing
