Prince William and Kate in Singapore: Kate Wears Vibrant Floral Dress for Welcome Ceremony [PHOTOS]

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have started their nine-day tour of South East Asia and South Pacific with a formal welcome by the President of Singapore.

Prince William inspected a guard of honour at the presidential palace and had a meeting with the President of Singapore Tony Tan Keng Yam.

William paid tributes to the Queen in his short speech at Istana, the official residence of the Singapore President.

"Her service has not just been to the peoples of her realms but to the whole Commonwealth family, of which Singapore is such an important member," he said.

On the occasion, the Duchess of Cambridge wore a striking flower themed dress patterned with purple and white orchids, designed by Singapore-born Prabal Gurung. The vibrant dress was teamed up with black heels and black clutch bag.

Earlier, the Royals visited the Singapore Botanical Gardens and were shown an orchid named after William's mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

"It's beautiful, beautiful," said William looking at the white flower named Dendrobium Memoria Princess Diana.

They were also shown a pink orchid "Vanda William Catherine" named after the young Royals.

William and Kate will be visiting Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. Kate Middleton will be delivering her first overseas speech when she visits a hospice at the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.

They will be attired in traditional dresses in Solomon Islands and Tuvalu and will be traveling in a canoe.

On their arrival at Singapore, the Royal couple was received by Antony Phillipson, Britain's High Commissioner for Singapore.

"This is a couple who are global superstars and make the British feel very, very good about themselves - that's as true in Singapore as anywhere else," said Phillipson.

It is the first visit to South East Asia by the Royal couple.

"We're extremely excited. Both of us have never been anywhere near there. William's been practising his dance moves," Middleton told the governor general of the Solomon Islands, Sir Frank Kabui, at a reception in London in June.

Take a look at William and Kate at the state reception in Singapore: