Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Tour of New Zealand - April 7-16, 2014

[muriel]

The New Zealand Leg
7-16 April 2014

Announced from KP today that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undertake a tour of NZ and Australia in April 2014.

Monday April 7 - Wellington 11:45am
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at the Military Terminal , Wellington Airport.
They will receive a Ceremonial Welcome at Government House, which will include a Maori Powhirim.

Tuesday April 8 - Wellington
The royals will be spending the day privately as they get over their jetlag after the long journey.

Wednesday April 9 - Wellington
Prince George will be part of his first public engagement as he joins the Duke and Duchess at a parents and babies morning at Government House.

Thursday April 10 - Blenheim
Wreath laying ceremony at Blenheim Clock Tower to commemorate the World War I centenary, followed by a public walk through Seymour Square.

Friday, 11 April - Auckland
The Duke and Duchess will compete against each other racing two former America’s Cup boats
hosted by Emirates Team New Zealand on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.

Saturday, 12 April - Hamilton and Cambridge, Waikato
The Duke will spend the morning at Pacific Aerospace while the Duchess will visit Rainbow Place at the Children’s Hospital.

Sunday, 13 April - Dunedin and Queenstown, Otago
After an official welcome by the Ngai Tahu Māori iwi (tribe) in Dunedin, the Duke and Duchess will attend a Rippa Rugby match
at Forsyth Barr Stadium, New Zealand’s only covered stadium.
In the afternoon the Duke and Duchess will be hosted to a wine tasting at Amisfield Winery in Queenstown.
The Duke and Duchess will take a Shotover Jet ride down Queenstown’s Shotover River.

Monday, 14 April - Christchurch, Canterbury
Their Royal Highnesses pay their respects to the 185 people who died in the February 2011 earthquake.
The afternoon will be a celebration of next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup which will have its opening match in Christchurch.

Tuesday, 15 April
Tuesday is a free day for the royal couple.

Wednesday, 16 April - Wellington
Returning to Wellington, the Duke and Duchess will meet new recruits at the Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua
and pay their respects to officers killed in the line of duty.
The afternoon is free for the couple to walk through Wellington to meet the locals before they depart for the Australian leg of their tour.

.

[carlota]

great news, i am looking forward.

the news also mentioned that a decision on whether they take george or not will be made closer to the trip date.

[GracieGiraffe]

Poor Georgie. Babies hate to travel and leave their routine and hate to not be with their mama every day. No happy alternative for him.

[Iluvbertie]

This is a major break in royal protocol - to visit a realm in an election year before the election takes place. It is normal for them to either be invited after the election has been held, with no announcement until after the election or even more normally not to visit at all in an election year and NZ is due to go to the polls next year. This could be used as a political ploy by both the government and the opposition in NZ thus politicising the royals - I hope not but it could happen.

[MarNoe]

I do hope they take George with them. With the example of William having been taken at age 9 months I don't see why not.

[Valerie Rose]

Article in NZ Herald:
William and Kate confirm NZ tour - Life & Style - NZ Herald News
I'm looking forward to their visit :)

[cepe]

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

This is a major break in royal protocol - to visit a realm in an election year before the election takes place. It is normal for them to either be invited after the election has been held, with no announcement until after the election or even more normally not to visit at all in an election year and NZ is due to go to the polls next year. This could be used as a political ploy by both the government and the opposition in NZ thus politicising the royals - I hope not but it could happen.

is it a "royal protocol" or just what's happened before? I'm not being nitpicky, but there is a big difference.

Also, would all political parties have agreed to this?

[Iluvbertie]

Yes it is a break with protocol as the royals steer clear of politics and this will see them in NZ in an election year with the country gearing up for the election. Not all parties would have to agree, particularly the smaller parties who may not even have been consulted.

[cepe]

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

Yes it is a break with protocol as the royals steer clear of politics and this will see them in NZ in an election year with the country gearing up for the election. Not all parties would have to agree, particularly the smaller parties who may not even have been consulted.

sorry - another question. When are the elections in Aust. and NZ?

[Iluvbertie]

Australia had their federal election 7th September 2013 and New Zealand is due to go to the polls in 2014 - anytime up to early December - up to the NZ PM to determine the date.

[royalistbert]

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

Australia had their federal election 7th September 2013 and New Zealand is due to go to the polls in 2014 - anytime up to early December - up to the NZ PM to determine the date.

So what's the problem if the PM has up to December to decide a date?

[Ladyelena]

Can't wait.

[Sun Lion]

Just saw the "Daily Mail" online regarding the trip.

Of course W and C won't be seeing NZ and Oz in spring - it'll be an autumn tour when they actually get here.

Cheers, Sun Lion.

P.S. Just read some of the comments - yes, some people seem to think we all get spring at the same time of the year - like we do Christmas I suppose.

[Sun Lion]

Originally Posted by cepe

is it a "royal protocol" or just what's happened before? I'm not being nitpicky, but there is a big difference.

Also, would all political parties have agreed to this?

Hi cepe,

Although W and C would have been invited by the Federal Government as a matter of protocol, and although we have a Monachist Prime Minister in Tony Abbott since the recent election, I think the days of any Australian political party being able to benefit from a Royal Tour are well and truly gone.

I remember when this was brought up in times past, but since the British "motherland" turned away from us and towards the Common Market, as it was know at the time - wasn't it the late 1960s - and Australia had to turn to the USA and our regional, Asian neighbours - and since we embraced multiculturalism as our identity - no Royal Tour has repaired that - even the massively successful Charles and Diana trips.

This tour of William and Catherine's will be equally successful I think, but no Australian politician will be able to "ride on their coat-tails" as the days of most Australians having living British relatives are behind us.

The many different nationalities that now make up Australia will join in the fun of W and C's visit, but they have no particular aliegence to the UK, and indeed, the younger members of our society are also not in any particular way attached or affected by what is still our Royal Family.

I think we may prefer they reside in the UK, where we can have the benefit of being a Constitutional Monarchy, but are also able to get on with things - with the only class system here being what your job is.

(New Zealand may be another matter - it seemed very "British" to me the times I went there.)

Cheers, Sun Lion.


P.S. Britian joining the Common Market all those years ago decimated the Tasmanian apple industry and had a detrimental effect on a lot of Australia, as we were then basically a primary producing country with a large part of our population employed either on the land or indirectly to it.

Made us grow up of course, but those of us old enough at the time to know the sense of betrayal this engendered here, realise that though most of us love and support Her Majesty, the UK cut the apron strings, and we will continue to drift away and onto our own future.

The Duke and Duchess's trip will be a huge success, but more as a celebration and joy, than as having any political influence or ramification.

[CrownPrincessJava]

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

This is a major break in royal protocol - to visit a realm in an election year before the election takes place. It is normal for them to either be invited after the election has been held, with no announcement until after the election or even more normally not to visit at all in an election year and NZ is due to go to the polls next year. This could be used as a political ploy by both the government and the opposition in NZ thus politicising the royals - I hope not but it could happen.

I hope you recall that Charles and Camilla visited Australia in November 2012. Not only was Australia due for an election during the next year i.e. had to be called before October 2013, Charles is heir apparent. Neither political party used their visit as a political ploy or for election material.

William is second in line and royal protocols aren't deemed important to the everyday Australian and New Zealander. Our respective politics and elections are not relevant to the Royal Family, and nor should they be.

[Iluvbertie]

The protocol is in an election year - 2012 wasn't an election year so there wasn't an issue with that visit.

2014 is an election year in NZ and so there is an issue there.

[GracieGiraffe]

Sun-Lion's point is an interesting one... have Australians and New Zealanders reached the point where monarchy has so little political influence that the royals don't have to worry about influencing elections... and if so, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[Iluvbertie]

The monarchy is largely seen as irrelevant in Australia these days - simply some celebrities who visit every so often but nothing to do with us. Britain is much the same - hardly relevant - we are in Asia and the Pacific and trade etc is largely in that area. Many Aussies still visit Britain but not because of family but simply because it is an interesting place to visit.

Just because most people don't rate them doesn't mean that they should be able to be used for political purposes and that is what could happen with William and Kate next year in NZ and not necessarily positively for them e.g. the costs etc of the visit used to promote the republican cause in NZ during an election year putting that issue in the forefront of the electorate rather than as a backburning issue, which it would have been had they waited until after the election is out of the way.

[CrownPrincessJava]

Originally Posted by GracieGiraffe

Sun-Lion's point is an interesting one... have Australians and New Zealanders reached the point where monarchy has so little political influence that the royals don't have to worry about influencing elections... and if so, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Yes, the Royals have little to no political relevance in most Commonwealth nations. The Australia Act 1986 states that the UK and Australian parliaments are separate entities and our laws do not need to be "rubber stamped" or approved in the UK. If the Royals did have any influence, most Australians would demand a referendum to change our constitution to a republic.

It is a good thing. Our culture is different to the UK and our Royal family does not reside here. Our important issues are just not relevant to the UK.

A royal member of the BRF during an election year is like any other State or celebrity visit. It bears no relevance to an election or politics.

[Lumutqueen]

Clearly they've been invited to visit, else they wouldn't be going, so if it's not a problem for the politicians who are trying to win votes, I don't see the issue. If two visiting royals is going to change NZ politics, then they have some other issues to deal with.