Prince William was deeply touched at a ceremony at Singapore Botanic Gardens, describing an orchid named in honour of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales as a "beautiful" bloom.
The Duke of Cambridge had the chance to see the flower at the Singapore Botanic Gardens - home to orchids named after a host of world figures from Nelson Mandela to Margaret Thatcher.
The event was a poignant moment for the Duke as Diana was due to visit the Far East nation to see the flower but was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997 a few weeks before the visit.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge look at an orchid named after Prince William's mother Diana, Princess of Wales
With Kate by his side, William looked thoughtful as he clasped his hands and stared at the white flowers of the orchid named Dendrobium Memoria Princess Diana.
The Duke could be heard praising the delicate blooms, saying "It's beautiful, it's beautiful" before smiling.
The visit had a lighter moment as another orchid, specially propagated, was named Vanda William and Catherine after the visiting royal couple.
With its attractive white blooms covered with purple spots, the plant stood out - as did Kate who, in keeping with the theme, wore a kimono-style pink dress decorated with an orchid pattern by designer Jenny Packham.
Mosquitoes, soaring temperatures, and a gruelling schedule of engagements are some of the challenges the Duchess of Cambridge faces in south-east Asia and the South Pacific.
Kate has flown overseas before on a royal tour but Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu are likely to be a very different proposition to last year's trip to North America.
Language barriers and observing local customs are also potential hazards for the Duchess who is far less experienced then the Duke in official foreign travel.
Flying around the region in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee will probably be enjoyable but hard work for the royal couple.
But there is likely to be extra attention on Kate, focusing on what the Duchess chooses to wear in the hot and humid countries.
During her tour of Canada last summer, the royal dressed in the Commonwealth country's national colours of white and red for Canada Day and even donned a "10 gallon hat" to complete her cowgirl look at the Calgary Stampede.
The Duchess wore more than 25 specially selected outfits for the North American tour and style experts will be waiting to see, and comment on, her every sartorial move in the Far East - sizing up the fashion statements she makes with each dress, hat and bag.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sign the visitors book during their first engagement in Singapore, as part of a nine-day tour of the Far East and South Pacific in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
It remains to be seen whether she will tailor her outfits to fit the countries she is visiting.
But the Queen is a past master of complimenting her hosts through her dresses, and over the years has worn a number of gowns featuring a country's national colours or incorporating a national flower or animal into an outfit.
At a state dinner in Lahore during her 1961 tour of India and Pakistan, she wore a magnificent duchesse-satin gown in ivory and emerald green, the national colours of Pakistan, and in 2009 when she visited Trinidad and Tobago her outfit featured the country's national birds, a scarlet ibis and cocrico, and flower the chaconia.
There are a number of formal or state dinners during the tour when Kate could wear some 'royal bling' - priceless tiaras, earrings and necklaces - possibly loaned by the Queen.
There will be a team of people to help William and Kate look, sound and perform at their best.
Handling the media, which could number more than 50 journalists, cameramen and photographers from around the world, will be a team of three led by the couple's outgoing press secretary Miguel Head.
The Duchess of Cambridge attends an orchid-naming ceremony during the first engagement in Singapore
Other members of the nine-strong team include the royal's advisor, former British ambassador to the US Sir David Manning, Kate's newly appointed private secretary Rebecca Deacon, and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the Cambridge's principal private secretary and equerry.
Princess Diana had an orchid named after her and presented to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Kate will be bringing a hairdresser to help maintain her dark flowing hair but will be picking her own outfits as she will not have an official dresser.
The royals will also have the help of an orderly, working behind the scenes handling tour logistics, like managing the luggage and transport.
With around five engagements a day over the coming nine days Kate will be kept busy as she tours the region with her husband but will be ready to do the Queen proud.