Duke and Duchess evoke memory of Diana with Taj Mahal picture

Diana was famously photographed alone on the marble bench but the image of William and Kate, sat together, will forge new memories of the iconic building for the couple.

In searing temperatures of 41C (106F) the duke and duchess toured the grounds of the Taj and were given a guided tour of the mausoleum itself.

When the couple first arrived they stopped to admire the imposing building from its main gate. Before them were immaculate formal gardens and fountains and the building itself had three of its towers covered in scaffolding.

They made their way slowly through the gardens with their guide and walked on to a large marble plinth containing a large fountain and walked over to the bench that the duke’s mother had sat on during her tour with the Prince of Wales in February 1992.

When Diana was photographed alone on the seat, it prompted rumours about the state of her marriage.

It became the defining image of that tour and by the end of the year it was announced she and Charles had agreed to separate.

William and Kate confidently walked up to the seat and carefully sat down and posed for the waiting photographers with the Taj Mahal in the background.

The impressive structure was build by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the mid 19th century, a monument of love to his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

It took 22 years and 20,000 men to erect the building from white marble, transported from 200 miles away by elephant.

Despite the extreme temperatures William wore a blazer, shirt and chinos, but Kate looked cool and comfortable in a monochrome dress by designer Naeem Khan.