News
Prince William arrives in New Zealand
17th January 2010
Prince William arrived in New Zealand tonight to begin his first official overseas trip on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen.
The Prince is in New Zealand to open the country's new supreme court on behalf of his grandmother and carry out other engagements.
The Prince will also visit Australia for an unofficial tour which will last three days.
The Prince arrived in Auckland on a scheduled Air New Zealand plane and was greeted by Prime Minister John Key and The Queen's representative Governor General Anand Satyanand.
Prince William, dressed in an immaculate suit, looked relaxed after his long-haul flight which he spent in business class and left the aircraft before the other passengers.
As he shook hands with Mr Key the royal commented on the weather which was overcast with cool temperatures saying: "It's a bit like English weather - confused."
Mr Lowther-Pinkerton described how the royal is "enormously fond" of New Zealand, a nation he first visited in 1983 and again five years ago.
Tomorrow Prince William will be guest of honour at a hangi - a traditional Maori dinner - hosted by The Queen's representative Governor General Anand Satyanand.
Before opening the new multi-million pound Supreme Court in the capital Wellington tomorrow Prince William will be welcomed by Maori elders with a hongi - the traditional rubbing of noses symbolising the exchange of breath.
The Prince is an enthusiastic rugby fan whose last visit to the Pacific Ocean islands five years ago saw him follow most of the matches of the Lions against New Zealand's All Blacks.
Prince William will meet the country's current crop of rugby stars when he visits the redeveloped Eden Park stadium in Auckland tomorrow - one of the venues for the 2011 Rugby World Cup being hosted by New Zealand.
Later that day Prince William will take to the waters around Auckland when he joins the crew of a yacht used as an early trial boat for the 1999-2000 America's Cup series won by the Pacific Ocean islands.
During his second day Prince William, who is training to become an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter pilot, will lay a wreath at a national war memorial in Wellington and that evening join guests at a barbecue hosted by the New Zealand Prime Minister.