Rain and high winds force Prince Charles and Camilla to cut short royal event in New Zealand

Robert Jobson5 November 2015

It’s not that the All Blacks wanted to rub the royals’ noses in it, more a case of unfortunate timing.

For as Prince Charles, New Zealand’s next king, flew into the country with wife Camilla, so too did the newly-crowned rugby world champions.

Thousands of Kiwis turned out to cheer their sporting heroes in Auckland for a victory parade, at the same time as the ceremonial welcome for Charles and Camilla in the capital Wellington.

But the royal event had to be cut short due to heavy rain and high winds.

After arriving on a New Zealand air force jet, Charles and Camilla headed straight to Government House in Wellington after being welcomed by Prime Minister John Key.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Royal Visit to New Zealand

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The couple were met by Maori warrior Tee Baker, as well as a local Maori dignitary, Lewis Moeau, who rubbed noses with Charles and Camilla at the entrance of the residence in the traditional Maori greeting called a “hongi”.

The prince also got another hongi from air force flight-sergeant Wai Paenga.

After her successful hongi Camilla chatted to a Maori warrior in his traditional clothing.

She and Charles were greeted inside by Governor-General Jerry Mateparae and his wife Lady Janine.

The Governor-General presented Prince Charles with a warrant from the Queen, making him an admiral of the fleet in the Royal New Zealand Navy, a field marshal in its army and a marshal in its air force.

Earlier Prime Minister Key said in a TV broadcast that Charles “will be New Zealand’s next monarch.”

He explained the clash of the royal arrival and that of the nation’s hero rugby stars by saying “royal visits are planned a long time in advance”.

He hinted that a window may be found in the royal couple’s busy schedule for them to meet the All Blacks, possibly on Friday when the team go to Wellington for another victory parade, when Charles and Camilla are due to have a rest day.

He said New Zealand’s recent spate of royal visits, with William and Kate in 2014 and Prince Harry this May, was because the Queen was unlikely to visit again given her age.

Prince Charles later joked about the All Blacks’ win and admitted he was relieved they beat Australia...“otherwise I was concerned I’d be coming to a country in total gloom”.

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