Toilet air freshener cuts Prince Harry and Meghan's introduction to Simon Bridges

After several false leads, fire service officials have identified the cause of an alarm which disrupted Opposition Leader Simon Bridges' meeting with Prince Harry and Meghan.

A reception in Wellington on Sunday evening for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had to be suspended after a fire alarm sounded.

The reception to commemorate the 125th anniversary of women's suffrage in New Zealand was hosted by Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy, and was attended by National Party leader Simon Bridges among others.

The alarm was raised just before Bridges was due to meet the couple.

A correspondent at the event said: "We have been told it's a false alarm but we have to evacuate the building anyway."

Guests were initially told the alarm was triggered by a clothes steamer. Subsequently, a Government House official said a vegetable steamer was to blame.

Nerina Bennett, a spokeswoman for Government House, said the fire department had identified the origin of the fire alarm as being a small toilet on the ground floor.

She said they believe an atomiser used to spread an air freshener set off the alarm.

She said there had been some confusion about what had set off the alarm, and others may have been guessing because there had been problems caused by steam setting off alarms in the past. But she said the problem had now been identified by the fire department.

After returning to the belated greeting, Bridges apologised to the royal couple for the interruption, noting safety would always be taken seriously.

Royal itinerary

October 28
• Arrive
• Welcome at Government House
• Wreath-laying ceremony at Pukeahu
• National War Memorial Park
• Reception hosted by the Governor-General

October 29
• Visit Maranui Cafe at Lyall Bay
• Travel to Abel Tasman National Park
• Beach barbecue with schoolchildren
• Return to Wellington for an encounter with young people

October 30
• Travel to Redvale on Auckland's North Shore
• Join children in a gumboot-throwing contest
• Visit Pillars, which supports children with a parent in prison
• Wander around Viaduct Harbour
• Reception hosted by the Prime Minister

October 31
• Visit Te Papaiouru Marae in Rotorua
• Check out Rainbow Springs
• Public meet and greet at Rotorua Government Gardens
• Visit Redwoods Treewalk
• Return to Auckland

November 1
• Leave

Best places for a glimpse
• Wellington's National War Memorial Park - today
• Auckland's Viaduct Harbour on the afternoon of October 30
• Rotorua's Government Gardens on the afternoon of October 31