Prince dab hand at crafts job

Royal tour

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have kicked off their week-long tour of New Zealand in Auckland.

The royal pair arrived at the Mt Roskill War Memorial for a wreath-laying ceremony to acknowledge the New Zealand military about 10.45am yesterday.

The memorial was erected in 2016 to acknowledge men from Niue who fought with the 3rd Ma¯ ori Contingent in World War I.

Next, cheers filled the Wesley Community Centre, home to many community groups and a weekly market, as a group of

Prince Charles is greeted with a hongi by a member of the Royal New Zealand Air Force at Whenuapai. dancers performed for the royal couple. At Critical Design – a social enterprise focused on achieving environmental sustainability – the prince was jokingly offered a job after he was found to be ‘‘quite good’’ at crafts

The royals were given a taste of the local wines at the Hunting Lodge Vineyard in Waimauku, which has been run by the Sutton family since 2016; right, the Duchess of Cornwall receives a hongi from a Ma¯ori elder as she and Prince Charles visit the Wesley Community Centre in Auckland.

using recyclable materials.

After a wine tasting session at the Hunting Lodge Vineyard in Waimauku, the pair arrived at RNZAF Whenuapai to present the Queen’s Colour, which is given as recognition of the RNZAF’s

achievements and is the highest honour the sovereign can present. ‘‘Her majesty is giving you her Colour in the knowledge you will guard it well,’’ the prince said. He gave his ‘‘heartfelt’’ wishes for the RNZAF’s future

endeavours, and Air ViceMarshal Andrew Clark expressed his gratitude. Later in the Officers’ Mess room, the royal couple signed the RNZAF visitors book, and the prince signed the Queen’s Colour Book pages.