11 Jun 2018

Royalists giddy at Duke and Duchess of Sussex tour

From Checkpoint, 5:27 pm on 11 June 2018

The bad boy prince is coming back - but this time he's no longer a bachelor. 

Kensington Palace have confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan are set to make their first official visit to New Zealand this October. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will touch down in New Zealand around the same time as the Invictus Games in Sydney. 

They will also be travelling to Fiji and Tonga - but all further details are likely to be kept under wraps until closer to their arrival. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was thrilled the couple had chosen to include New Zealand in their first overseas tour.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex in the Ascot Landau carriage during the procession on The Long Walk after getting married St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex in the Ascot Landau carriage during the procession on The Long Walk after getting married St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Photo: AFP

"This visit is still in the planning stages and we'll be providing further details regarding dates and itinerary closer to their arrival - but certainly I'm sure there will be excitement around the country at the opportunity to show off all that New Zealand has to offer, both to the royal couple, but to what I'm sure will be a rather large entourage as well," Ms Ardern said.

Although it is still four months away, royalists throughout the country said they were already planning how they would celebrate the trip. 

Elizabeth Garlick said her love affair with the royals began with Princess Diana. She has been collecting royal memorabilia for years, with one of her favourite pieces a replica of the sapphire engagement ring given to the Duchess of Cambridge by Prince William. 

"I wear it all the time and I've got a matching set of earrings that I created out of two pairs of earrings ... created into drops," Ms Garlick said.  

"That's what I showed Harry when he came back in 2015, and he touched the ring and just said it was amazing, and yeah, he really liked it." 

Ms Garlick said she was planning to take annual leave so she could follow the couple around the country when they arrived. 

"I would have gone over to see him at the Invictus games in Sydney anyway, so it's amazing that they're going to pop over to New Zealand and let us see them," she said. 

"Last time when Harry came I made a sign and waited at the front of the crowd for a couple of hours so I got a good chance to talk with him." 

Another life-long royalist from Whangarei, Shirley Faber said she had been a royalist since World War II and was ecstatic to finally see the royal couple in the flesh. 

"We need some joy in our lives really, and here's our prince, New Zealand's prince, and he's just been married to a beautiful girl," Ms Faber said. 

"All those things are positive things, and he exudes positivity and caring." 

On the streets of Wellington however, feelings about the upcoming visit were mixed. Some told Checkpoint they were thrilled with the news while others were only "sort of" excited.