The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall met the Maori royalty and commemorated Remembrance Sunday on day five of the Royal visit to New Zealand.
At Turangawaewae marae, near the riverside residence of Kiingi Tuheitia, seen as a unifying leader of New Zealand’s Maori people, the couple were greeted with a haka during a welcome ceremony.
The Royal pair are greeted via GovGeneralNZ
Charles took part in the ceremony by picking up a ceremonial dart, whilst maintaining eye contact to show his intentions were peaceful.
Charles and Camilla wore korowai, cloaks made of kiwi feathers, that had been given to Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh in 1953.
A haka welcomed the Royal couple, performed by 60 warriors carrying wooden spears. The Prince of Wales and King Tuheitia greeted one another with the hongi.
Following their welcome, Charles and Camilla were greeted with a salute by four waka (canoes) holding a total of 80 warriors, travelling down the Waikato river.
Next for the couple was a trip to Auckland, where they met members of the public and visited organisations in the city.
Prince Charles met a group of Nga Rangatahi mentors, including singer Anika Moa and actress Teuila Blakely, and their young “mentees”.
This was followed by a performance by youth enrolled in the charity’s Manawa Ora programme, who later gave Prince Charles a t-shirt saying “Unf*** the world” – perhaps apt in the Prince’s support for environmental and conservation causes.
The Royal couple’s day started with another walkabout, before heading their separate ways. Prince met disadvantaged children at the Nga Rangatahi Toa organisation. They are mentored in singing, acting and dancing to help young adults fulfill their potential.
Camilla makes a friend via GovGeneralNZ
Camilla, meanwhile, spent time at Bellyful, a charity which supplies free, nutritious ready meals to families with newborns and those experiencing hardship due to illness, times when they need it most. The Duchess was given an apron to wear meeting as she entered the kitchen, prompting her to ask, “You’re not going to get me cooking are you?!”
Her son, Tom Parker Bowles has said in the past his mother is a ‘traditional cook’.
She chatted with those who Bellyful had helped, and was enamoured by the babies.
