Markle sparkle glows on in NZ
Enterprises visited by the Duke and Duchess are still enjoying the lift
Five months on from the royal visit, the “Meghan Markle effect” is still being felt by Kiwi businesses and charities who laid on a royal welcome.
The red carpet was laid out for Prince Harry and his ex-Hollywood actress wife when the royals spent time in New Zealand last October.
Rotorua’s Redwood’s Treetops had “the best summer ever” after Meghan and Harry walked through the forest, GirlBoss NZ enjoyed a spike in workshop bookings after the visit and lines outside Lyall Bay’s Maranui Cafe grew even longer.
The chief executive of Pillars, a charity dedicated to supporting the children of prisoners, said having the royal couple visit and give support had been immeasurable.
Pillars helped the more than 23,000 children who had a parent or parents in prison and were often affected socially and economically by the changes to their lives.
Before their May wedding, the couple requested that in lieu of wedding gifts, donations be made to charity. The New Zealand Government gifted $5000 to Pillars, due to the couple’s interest in programmes that support vulnerable children.
Mentoring co-ordinator at Pillars, Corrina Thompson, said the organisation had seen a significant lift since the donation and the royal visit.
“There has been an increased awareness in what we do and more people coming forward saying they want to be involved and asking what they can do to help.”
The number of people wanting to mentor had increased so much that money allocated to recruiting mentors was now able to be used for other projects.
GirlBoss NZ founder Alexia Hilbertidou said the royal visit “inspired and empowered” her social enterprise, which aims to empower women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
It was the second time Hilbertidou met with the Duke and Duchess. In June last year, she was presented with a Queen’s Young Leaders Award and met the Queen and other royals at Buckingham Palace.
“When Meghan and I spoke we discussed GirlBoss New Zealand and the Queen’s Young Leader Award and to have her support of our work was incredibly empowering for me and enforced that we are on the right path,” Hilbertidou said.
GirlBoss NZ’s workshops even used the Duchess as inspiration, Hilbertidou said, drawing on a young Meghan Markle’s now infamous letter to soap manufacturer Procter & Gamble, about the sexist language in one of their advertisements.
“In our workshops, we encourage young women to create change in their community and one of the videos we share is the one where Meghan writes the letter,” Hilbertidou said. “It shows women are never too young to create change and we need more bold women stepping up and having a voice.”
Rotorua destination Redwoods Treetops, where the royals walked the 28 suspension bridges between 117-year-old Redwoods, had their busiest summer ever.
Karen Mather said many commented that they had seen the royal coverage here or abroad.
“It’s hard to say the exact numbers but there is a direct correlation with increased visitors and the royal visit.
“It has been our busiest summer in three years and it is still busy even though the school term has started.”
Tables at the iconic Maranui Cafe in Lyall Bay are even harder to come by since the Duke and Duchess visited the beachside destination.
Co-owner Bronwyn Kelly said the summer trade had been constant with tourist numbers up. “We know that there has been media coverage of the visit to Maranui in China and India and we’ve also noticed an increase in American visitors.”
To have her support of our work was incredibly empowering.
Alexia Hilbertidou, GirlBoss NZ founder