William and Kate tour 2012 Game of thrones: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge play king and queen before dancing the night away in Tuvalu

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge became true South Pacific royalty today when they donned colourful skirts and danced the night away at a gathering of island chiefs.

Until now they have been members of Tuvalu's royal family in name only but after their display at an inter-island singing celebration they can lay claim to being true born.

William and Kate shimmied, swayed their hips and moved their arms as they joined six island communities of the South Pacific nation at a fateles or local dance where groups try to out sing and dance each other in a friendly rivalry.

The Duchess looked the more natural and got to her feet time after time to join the performers while William left it till in later in the evening to try out his moves - and at one stage both had colourful skirts tied around them to make them really feel the part.

A tradition associated with the event is for dignitaries to spraying perfume or scent on dancers they like as a mark of respect and gratitude, and armed with a bottle of Paul Smith London for Men both royals liberally sprayed the performers.

The night saw them beaming, laughing and joking with each other and at its end William summed it up as "good, really good - an amazing evening" when asked by Tapugao Falefou, a senior government official who helped organise the royal visit, if he had enjoyed himself.

The rousing event capped a busy but exciting day for the royals who were welcomed with a greeting not seen since the Queen last set foot on the Funafuti, Tuvalu's main island in 1982.

Carried shoulder high by more than 25 men in pandanus leaf skirts, William and Kate were processed from their charter jet sat side by side on ornate chairs in a 'carriage' with a thatched roof of leaves.

Looking a little bemused but ecstatic they appeared to be enjoying the ride that slowly made it's way to the airport terminal - a tiny single story building with a corrugated iron roof.

Their way was led by around 40 singing women dressed in vibrant purple dresses covered in cream flowers that the island's government had specially made for many of the islanders to mark the occasion.

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Kate Middleton and Prince William in Tuvalu

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