Zara ruffles Kiwi feathers as she wades into flag row
Thanks t o Prince William and kate’s ticker-tape tour last year, and a recent wellreceived visit f rom Prince harry, the royals’ stock in new Zealand has never been higher. But has the Princes’ cousin, Zara Phillips, undone all their good work in one fell swoop?
Zara, who is visiting new Zealand in her role as patron to spinal injury charity the Cat Walk Trust, has managed to put kiwi beaks out of joint after wading into the controversy over plans to remove the Union Jack from the national flag.
‘ It’s great the way it i s,’ she remarked. ‘When you look at the flag you know it’s kiwi, it would be quite sad to change it, I think.’
Phillips’s comments, made on new Zealand television, breached royal protocol of not commenting on constitutional matters. They certainly oppose those of new Zealand Prime Minister John key, who believes the flag is outdated and unrepresentative of the country’s post- colonial identity. a referendum will be held on the matter in 2016.
‘I find Zara’s comments quite unsuitable,’ says royal biographer Michael Thornton.
‘I know her mother, Princess anne, and she does a splendid job of keeping her trap shut on important matters. I think that Zara could do with taking a leaf out of her book.
‘There are certain things which the Royal Family should not comment on, and this is one them. It’s beyond the boundaries, particularly for a junior member of the royals, and liable to cause offence.’
Zara’s remarks sparked the inevitable outpouring of rage on social media. ‘Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips against new Zealand flag change . . . well that’s another reason to change,’ wrote one Twitter user, while another tweeted: ‘Zara Phillips calling for the flag to stay is the only good reason I’ve heard to change it. new Zealanders’ opinions only, please.’