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Duke and Duchess Bid Farewell to New Zealand in Maori Language
SYDNEY – The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, concluded on Wednesday their visit to New Zealand, the last stop of their Oceania tour, with a speech partially delivered in Maori.
The royal couple, who are expecting their first child, were dressed in traditional Maori cloaks called korowai during their visit to the city of Rotorua on the North Island, according to Kensington Palace's twitter account.
"A spectacular Haka Powhiri was performed by the Te Arawa people as The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in Rotorua," Kensington Palace tweeted.
During a speech at the Tamatekapua wharenui (meeting house) at Te Papaiouru marae, Harry praised the "Te Arawa rangatahi" (young people of Te Arawa) for their talent and work in preserving and promoting Maori language.
The duke also gave thanks for the korowais, according to national broadcaster Radio New Zealand, and was presented with a tewhatewha, a carved weapon.
The couple is expected to return this afternoon to Auckland from where they will leave Thursday morning for London.
That will end a 16-day tour of Oceania that also took them to Australia, Fiji and Tonga.