Buzz ahead of royal couple’s tour
Wellingtonians secretly working on royal plans have for weeks had to use codenames for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
At the beachside Maranui Cafe in Lyall Bay, which will host Harry and Meghan on October 29, they have been referred to as ‘‘Posh and Becks’’ after the similarly famous British couple.
The royal pair will visit the popular cafe, part of a tour of New Zealand at the end of October, and meet young people involved in mental health projects.
More of an English football fan than a royal fan, co-owner Bronwyn Kelly isn’t nervous about the visit.
And it won’t be her first run-in with the duke. She once saw the young prince being led through the Louvre in Paris by Princess Diana, though she doesn’t plan to tell him.
It will be a historic event for the cafe and the century-old Maranui Surf Life Saving Club, which shares the building.
‘‘Even on Instagram, people are saying, ‘I hope they’re going to queue as well’.’’
To confirm, the duke and duchess will not join the ever-present queue as the event is closed to the public.
It’s hoped there will be a crowd waiting outside, however, and that there may be time for the newlyweds to take a walk down Lyall Bay Parade, Kelly says.
Some of the cafe’s key staff have already volunteered, though Kelly has considered who might have nervous, shaky hands when meeting the royals.
‘‘My mum has offered to do the dishes that day. I’ve seen her in the kitchen – so no way.’’
On the menu? Paua muffins and whitebait scones, Kelly jokes. ‘‘We’re a cafe, we’re not going to be anything we’re not.’’
Items likely to be served by co-owner Katie Richardson is her popular oaty slice, date and orange scones, and a raw vegan slice.
A cup of Wellington’s own Havana coffee should have the pair ready to be whisked away to Abel Tasman National Park, across Cook Strait, for a bush walk and barbecue.
Returning to Wellington that evening, Harry and Meghan will meet young Wellington creatives at an exhibition showcasing the city’s cinematic talent.
Kristy Grant, director of Courtenay Creative, has been calling the pair ‘‘Mr and Mrs’’ in the leadup to the big reveal.
‘‘That was just something to keep it – possibly not that – discreet but it seems to have worked.’’
Courtenay Creative, a creative work and exhibition space spearheaded by Grant and Weta Digital co-founder Jamie Selkirk, is due to open a week before the royals’ arrival.
The walls are still bare and, sitting on a 5-metre couch used as a prop in Thor: Ragnarok, Grant is reluctant to give away too much about the ‘‘sensory experience’’ that awaits the duke and duchess.
But what’s known is the exhibition will display Wellington’s young talent in makeup, costume and virtual reality.
Whether you’re a fan of the royals or not, it’s a chance to show off our best, she says.
‘‘Did I watch the royal weddings? I did, with a big bottle of champagne,’’ Grant said.