Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, cost New Zealand taxpayers nearly $1.4 million the last time they were here. Photo / file
EDITORIAL:
Dust off that bunting, hoist the flag, prepare for the pomp and ceremony – New Zealand has a royal trip to look forward to.
Charles and Camilla will arrive here in November, the thirdtime the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have visited our shores.
It caps a bumper year for Windsor family sojourns.
Harry and Meghan were here last October with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex bustling on a five-day whistle-stop tour of the nation.
Prince William's foray was more fleeting – he attended an Anzac ceremony and met with victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings during his two day trip in April.
Many Kiwis love a royal visit; young and old flock to see our regal representatives smile and wave.
Others, though, are aghast at New Zealand taxpayers footing the bill for them.
It's easy to see why – these trips often cost a princely sum.
Charles' and Camilla's last seven-day visit drained New Zealand's coffers of nearly $1.4 million.
Meghan and Harry also cost Kiwis about $200,000 for every day they were here.
There are, of course, better uses of that money and no shortage of social issues which it could be poured into.
New Zealand, though, is a constitutional monarchy and Queens, Princes and Princesses have been coming to this country for 150 years.
If the many engagements and ceremonies they are required to attend are part and parcel of their duties, stumping up for the bill when they're here is part and parcel of ours.
It's the price of our system of Government and New Zealand being a member of the Commonwealth.
Kiwis, then, might as well embrace the idea – and give Charles and Camilla the royal treatment when they arrive in November.