Training | 2010.01.17
Prince William visits New Zealand
Prince given warm welcome by All Blacks rugby team and allowed to take the wheel of America\'s Cup yacht
Yesterday was day one of Prince William\'s attempt to portray himself as a regular guy during his first official visit to New Zealand, and he found himself greeted at the airport by the country\'s prime minister, given a warm welcome by the All Blacks rugby team and allowed to take an America\'s Cup yacht for sail round Auckland harbour.
The omens were not immediately auspicious. His arrival – by business class on a scheduled flight – was greeted by an editorial in yesterday\'s Star Times with the message: "William\'s charm cannot disguise the fact that the system which produced him is rotten." Still, at least it said he wasn\'t a prat like his father.
The prince, a rugby fan, was taken to Eden Park stadium, where he stood while the city\'s under-10s squad trained with the national side. Invited to pass the ball among a circle of the youngsters, he immediately received it with unexpected force in the groin, before inciting them to try their aim on the circling cameramen instead. "We got him in the crown jewels," 10-year-old Ryan Wallace proudly told the local television channel afterwards. But the young players\' verdict was nevertheless encouraging: "Pretty cool, he\'s got a very good accent," said one.
The prince later gave a television interview, telling the questioner who asked what he thought of New Zealand: "It\'s fantastic. I love it," adding loyally for his grandmother\'s sake: "I want to do something good and keep the standards up that she has led the way with."
His advisers confirmed that the itinerary was shaped by the prince and the speeches he will give here and in Australia – to where he moves on Tuesday – have also received his input.
Then he boarded SailNZ, the 24-metre (78ft) yacht that represented New Zealand in the 1995 America\'s Cup, to help raise the sails and take a turn at the wheel.Later the prince flew to New Zealand\'s capital, Wellington, where he was greeted with a Maori Powhiri welcome outside the country\'s futuristic new supreme court. Dressed in a Maori bird feather cloak, he rubbed noses with four tribal elders.
A small demonstration by pro-republican supporters was noisily outnumbered by justice department staff protesting about pay, though there was also a banner held up by a young hopeful saying: "Marry me, William. End my poverty."
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/17/prince-william-new-zealand-visit
