Royals get top marks from school
Children at a Manawatu¯ school are reacquainting themselves with the pens and pencils of everyday life following their brush with royalty.
Kairanga School was the only primary and intermediate school in New Zealand invited to be a part of the official state welcome for Prince Harry and wife Meghan in Wellington this week.
Kairanga runs a leadership programme for its year 8 pupils, and as part of it they have visited Government House every year for the past 10 years.
Principal Alastair Shaw said due to their strong relationship, they were invited to be part of the official state welcome at the beginning of the royal pair’s five-day tour.
The excited group of Kairanga pupils were nervous to meet the couple, but they were soon put at ease. Kairanga pupil Kieran Lark, 13, said Harry and Meghan were easygoing and genuine.
‘‘They asked us about what sports we were playing and they asked us a lot about what we did at school, what clubs we play for.’’
One of Lark’s classmates had goose bumps, but he wasn’t too nervous.
‘‘It’s something we’re going to remember for the rest of our lives.’’
Phoebe Conger, 12, said the experience was amazing.
‘‘You had to make the most of it. ‘‘You were thinking, ‘oh my God, you’re meeting the royals, you’re only going to do it once’.’’
Lisa Clare, 13, said she was nervous at the start, but was put at ease because the royals seemed genuine and not ‘‘prim and proper’’. ‘‘They made us comfortable. ‘‘It was all different from what I thought it was going to be. They were relaxed and talked to us, which made us relaxed.’’
All four pupils said they were royalists now.
Hato Pa¯ ora College was also in the welcoming party, performing a haka for Harry and Meghan.