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| William, Kate and baby George arrive in New Zealand for 10-day royal tour | William, Kate and baby George arrive in New Zealand for 10-day royal tour |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A gloomy, gusty Wellington morning on Monday threatened to disrupt the royal tour of New Zealand even before it had begun. | A gloomy, gusty Wellington morning on Monday threatened to disrupt the royal tour of New Zealand even before it had begun. |
| But despite predictions that the flight – carrying Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to New Zealand for their first formal tour with eight-month-old baby Prince George – would need to be diverted north, the Royal New Zealand Air Force jet was able to negotiate the famously wobbly descent into the capital. | But despite predictions that the flight – carrying Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to New Zealand for their first formal tour with eight-month-old baby Prince George – would need to be diverted north, the Royal New Zealand Air Force jet was able to negotiate the famously wobbly descent into the capital. |
| Shortly after midday New Zealand time, Prince William, Catherine and George were greeted on the tarmac by the New Zealand prime minister, John Key, and the governor general, Sir Jerry Mateparae, beginning their 10-day tour with a drive around the Wellington bays and a formal welcome at Government House. | Shortly after midday New Zealand time, Prince William, Catherine and George were greeted on the tarmac by the New Zealand prime minister, John Key, and the governor general, Sir Jerry Mateparae, beginning their 10-day tour with a drive around the Wellington bays and a formal welcome at Government House. |
| The duke and duchess were met by the governor-general, Sir Jerry Mateparae, New Zealand defence force bands, and the defence force kapa haka group, while eight-month-old baby George watched the proceedings from an upstairs window. | |
| The Duchess of Cambridge wore a scarlet overcoat and hat, with a | The Duchess of Cambridge wore a scarlet overcoat and hat, with a |
| diamond fern brooch given to the Queen by the women of Auckland during | diamond fern brooch given to the Queen by the women of Auckland during |
| her 1953 trip here. | her 1953 trip here. |
| Key later told reporters the duke and duchess were really pleased to be in New Zealand and he expected them to captivate the nation. | |
| "I don't think their enthusiasm for coming to New Zealand has been dampened at all by the fact it was a little bit wet on the tarmac." | |
| The immediate lead-up to the royal arrival | The immediate lead-up to the royal arrival |
| came with a ripple of laughter at the expense of British media | came with a ripple of laughter at the expense of British media |
| apparently suckered by belated April foolery from a so-called “Maori | apparently suckered by belated April foolery from a so-called “Maori |
| expert”. | expert”. |
| A report published by the Daily Express | A report published by the Daily Express |
| over the weekend explained that female dancers taking part in the | over the weekend explained that female dancers taking part in the |
| official powhiri, or Maori welcome, had agreed to break with their | official powhiri, or Maori welcome, had agreed to break with their |
| tradition of performing topless. Men, meanwhile, typically wore nothing | tradition of performing topless. Men, meanwhile, typically wore nothing |
| beneath their flax skirts, but “because of the high-profile guests | beneath their flax skirts, but “because of the high-profile guests |
| they’ll wear black undies to welcome them,” reported the Express, | they’ll wear black undies to welcome them,” reported the Express, |
| quoting “Maori expert Tredegar Hall”. | quoting “Maori expert Tredegar Hall”. |
| During their stay in New | During their stay in New |
| Zealand, Prince William and Catherine would face a “minefield of | Zealand, Prince William and Catherine would face a “minefield of |
| customs” at marae, or traditional meeting place, the Express continued, | customs” at marae, or traditional meeting place, the Express continued, |
| including the ritual acceptance of a leaf. “According to tradition,” | including the ritual acceptance of a leaf. “According to tradition,” |
| reported the paper, “if they pick the leaf up in the wrong way it could | reported the paper, “if they pick the leaf up in the wrong way it could |
| be deemed an act of war, with an international fall-out.” | be deemed an act of war, with an international fall-out.” |
| London-based Hall’s tall tales, repeated but since deleted by the Telegraph website, | London-based Hall’s tall tales, repeated but since deleted by the Telegraph website, |
| went on to include the claim that the couple would be “offered | went on to include the claim that the couple would be “offered |
| traditional food including a native bird, the kereru, which is on the | traditional food including a native bird, the kereru, which is on the |
| verge of extinction”. | verge of extinction”. |
| The papers appeared to have fallen victim to | The papers appeared to have fallen victim to |
| a hoax, said Chris Finlayson, the minister for arts, culture and | a hoax, said Chris Finlayson, the minister for arts, culture and |
| heritage and associate minister for Maori affairs. “It is an infantile | heritage and associate minister for Maori affairs. “It is an infantile |
| prank at a time when Maori culture and New Zealand will be in the | prank at a time when Maori culture and New Zealand will be in the |
| spotlight overseas,” he said. | spotlight overseas,” he said. |
| While he had not been intimately | While he had not been intimately |
| involved in the catering plans for the trip, Finlayson added, he could | involved in the catering plans for the trip, Finlayson added, he could |
| “guarantee no endangered wildlife will be served”. | “guarantee no endangered wildlife will be served”. |
| In the New | In the New |
| Zealand press, the welcome was effusive. The country’s biggest selling | Zealand press, the welcome was effusive. The country’s biggest selling |
| paper, the Auckland-based New Zealand Herald, devoted its front page and | paper, the Auckland-based New Zealand Herald, devoted its front page and |
| five pages to the royal visitors in a “Royal tour special”. | five pages to the royal visitors in a “Royal tour special”. |
| Wellington’s | Wellington’s |
| Dominion Post announced, “Wellington welcomes the Cambridges” in huge | Dominion Post announced, “Wellington welcomes the Cambridges” in huge |
| type above a masthead which is itself a reminder of the nation’s | type above a masthead which is itself a reminder of the nation’s |
| constitutional ties to the United Kingdom. | constitutional ties to the United Kingdom. |
| A Herald editorial credited William and Catherine with “revitalising the monarchy”. | A Herald editorial credited William and Catherine with “revitalising the monarchy”. |
| “Like | “Like |
| Diana, they are making the monarchy less stuffy, more contemporary, and | Diana, they are making the monarchy less stuffy, more contemporary, and |
| even Prince Charles appears to be more relaxed. With three generations | even Prince Charles appears to be more relaxed. With three generations |
| of heirs to the throne, the monarchy looks settled for another century. | of heirs to the throne, the monarchy looks settled for another century. |
| It may live a long way from New Zealand but a family keeps the bond | It may live a long way from New Zealand but a family keeps the bond |
| alive,” said the paper. | alive,” said the paper. |
| The prime minister, John Key, agreed that | The prime minister, John Key, agreed that |
| the couple’s performance had stayed any immediate prospect of changing | the couple’s performance had stayed any immediate prospect of changing |
| New Zealand’s sovereign status. | New Zealand’s sovereign status. |
| While he remained of the view that | While he remained of the view that |
| New Zealand would “in all probability” become a republic at some point, | New Zealand would “in all probability” become a republic at some point, |
| he told Radio New Zealand on Monday morning, it was foreseeable only in | he told Radio New Zealand on Monday morning, it was foreseeable only in |
| “the very long term”. It was likely that Queen Elizabeth II would | “the very long term”. It was likely that Queen Elizabeth II would |
| remain head of state “for a very long time into the future”. | remain head of state “for a very long time into the future”. |
| Popular support for the monarchy, | Popular support for the monarchy, |
| said Key, “speaks volumes about the way that William and Kate, as young | said Key, “speaks volumes about the way that William and Kate, as young |
| royals, have modernised the royal family and their place as the head of | royals, have modernised the royal family and their place as the head of |
| state”. | state”. |
| The lobby group New Zealand Republic, however, | The lobby group New Zealand Republic, however, |
| marked the occasion with a new poll in which 66% of those surveyed aged | marked the occasion with a new poll in which 66% of those surveyed aged |
| 18-30 said they would like to see a New Zealander as head of state. | 18-30 said they would like to see a New Zealander as head of state. |
| Among all those polled, 44% wanted a change, with 46% preferring the | Among all those polled, 44% wanted a change, with 46% preferring the |
| status quo. | status quo. |
| The couple will be based in the capital city, staying | The couple will be based in the capital city, staying |
| at the governor-general’s residence, Government House, and flying around | at the governor-general’s residence, Government House, and flying around |
| the country for day trips. The visit, which has been widely compared | the country for day trips. The visit, which has been widely compared |
| with the 1983 visit by Prince Charles, Diana and baby Prince William, | with the 1983 visit by Prince Charles, Diana and baby Prince William, |
| then nine months old, will see the royals attend numerous charity | then nine months old, will see the royals attend numerous charity |
| events, an aviation day with filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson, sailing on | events, an aviation day with filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson, sailing on |
| Auckland harbour, and the obligatory meetings with All Blacks. | Auckland harbour, and the obligatory meetings with All Blacks. |
| The royal party depart New Zealand on 16 April for the Australian leg of their tour. | The royal party depart New Zealand on 16 April for the Australian leg of their tour. |