ROYAL TOUR:
The rain fell and the wind blew but Prince Harry and his wife Meghan smiled through it all, securing their place in the hearts of New Zealanders as they tossed gumboots, hugged children, spoke te reo and strolled hand in hand through four busy days in our
inside Harry and Meghan’s Kiwi adventure
From the moment they arrived in Australasia, it was clear this royal visit was going to break new ground. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had hoped to slip into Sydney quietly a day before official proceedings and chill out at Admiralty House, the Governor-General’s home. Instead, the couple was greeted with a posse of TV cameras, reporters and long lenses focused on incoming planes. Meghan appeared, curiously holding folders of paperwork in front of her stomach, and immediately a baby bump frenzy swept through social media.
It’s possible the royal couple hoped to wait a little longer to share their happy news, but the only way to focus the tour back on the Invictus Games and the important initiatives the Sussexes had assiduously hand-picked, was to let the world in on their secret. We were in the royal rota media briefing when Kensington Palace surprised everyone with the couple’s statement. “Their
Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the [UK] spring of 2019.” What!
It was this announcement that took the Down Under royal tour – already highly anticipated – to a whole new level, spiralling into a stratosphere of fevered popularity as Meghan and Harry, hand in hand, gazing into each other’s eyes, lovestruck parents-to-be, took Australasia by storm. Literally, for a lot of the time. The glorious sunshine of their Australia and Pacific Island visits was in stark contrast to the blustery weather that greeted the
royals for most of their time in New Zealand.
It was a puffer jacket for Prince Harry and raincoat for Meghan as they worked their way through a weird and wonderful variety of Kiwi activities. But we couldn’t have asked for a better-spirited couple of royals to experience drizzly New Zealand. Harry made light of the weather often, particularly during one very damp day in Abel Tasman National Park, where he joked, “The weather forecast was a lot worse than this!” He continued, “We are really fortunate to be here. The rain is a blessing and a reminder of our connection to the land. From my wife, myself, and our little bump, it’s a blessing to be here. We bring you greetings from my grandmother!”
The Queen has visited New Zealand 10 times, and for Harry it was his second official visit.
But for Meghan, her second trip here was very different to her first. Back in 2014, she did a 10-day campervan tour around the South Island, before staying on Waiheke Island for four days. It’s safe to say her mode of transport this time around was slightly more luxurious. For Harry, the joy of having a partner on the road with him was clear to see. For years he has either been riding solo, or a willing third wheel to his brother’s marriage. But now, with a wife by his side and a baby on the way, the prince looked beyond thrilled and the newlyweds make for a fantastic team. There was little pomp and ceremony to these royals – Meghan looked just as comfortable in jeans and gumboots as she did in a ballgown. And both are in their element when deep in conversation about the big issues. The pair continued their advocacy on behalf of mental health by sitting with community leaders in a café in Wellington (finally safe from the rain). Harry opened up about his own mental health, sharing, “It took me about three or four years to start the journey and then after that you still have to find the right people to speak to.”
A day later, at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, there was another heartfelt moment from Harry – of all the royals, he’s the one to wear his heart on his sleeve. A young boy, being raised by his grandmother, had written a letter to Harry. “He’s always looked up to you,” his grandmother told the prince. “He lost his mum when he was young as well.” Harry took the letter, placed it in his inside pocket, and had a heart-to-heart with the boy, surrounded by screaming fans and media. “Don’t worry about having just one parent,” he said. “Life will always be all right. I made it to 34 years old and life is great. I’ve got a beautiful wife, I’ve got a baby on the way. Your life is going to be sorted, don’t you worry about that.”