KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Prince William, who delivered his first ever speech in Malaysia today, declared he is no fan of the "king of fruits," the durian, attracting applause and laughter from the business community.

"Before I start, I'd just like to say how delicious lunch was but I was delighted to see that durian wasn't on the menu.

"Having tasted it yesterday, I feared for the safety of the people I met thereafter," he said at the start of the speech.

Prince William was clad in a dark blue suit while his wife Catherine wore a pearl-coloured below-the-knee dress with a "baju kurung" neckline.

Some 1,000 businessmen and women attended the business luncheon organised by the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (BMCC).

BMCC Chairman Datuk Larry Gan said the speech was inspiring, informative and also a message from Queen Elizabeth II, whom the Duke referred to as "my grandmother."

"The Duke and Duchess enjoyed this function very much because it was the only business function where we got a gathering of the corporate captains and people who matter in trade between Britain and Malaysia," he told Bernama after the luncheon here today.

The United State Ambassador to Malaysia, Paul W. Jones, echoed Gan's views, praising the speech as "fantastic."

"My mother was born British, it is a great excitement for me to be here and it is my great pleasure to have lunch with Their Royal Highnesses," he said.

Meanwhile, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank of Malaysia Osman Morad said the maiden speech was outstanding and full of interesting points.

"This occasion was wonderful, and we are very pleased that the BMCC have been able to host it, and as you can see today, they have done a great job," he said.

During the six-minute speech, Prince William touched on the strong cultural ties between the UK and Malaysia, and BMCC's active role in enhancing them.

This first visit to Malaysia by the Royal Couple further marks the growing trust, prominence, and value of the historic relationship between the two countries.