Prince Harry had an emotional reunion with his former boarding school matron in Christchurch today.
Prince Harry reunited with his former matron from boarding school after 16 years #RoyalVisit #princeharry pic.twitter.com/mRTFETX5vr
— Newshub (@NewshubNZ) May 12, 2015
Vicki McBratney hadn't seen the young prince since he was 12 years old.
Photo : mycrarrythings: “Henry Charles Albert David.” Vicki McBratney rattles the name off the top of her... http://t.co/lLfUPxqsAi
— sissi (@royaltyandmore) May 8, 2015
She looked after him in 1997 while working as assistant matron at Ludgrove School in England.
Her first day on the job was the funeral of his mother, Princess Diana.
Today, Prince Harry remembered her right away.
He gave her a kiss and told her it was "so nice to see you again".
"I wasn't sure he'd remember me after all these years but he did," said Ms McBratney.
"It was really nice to relate to him again."
She remembered him as a "very lovely, funny, typical 12-year-old" boy.
Seeing him today, she thought he hadn't changed much.
"He's just a lovely man."
McBratney took the day off work to stake out a spot in Cashel Mall with old photos, hoping that Harry would recognise her.
Prince Harry then visited a very soggy University of Canterbury campus to cheers from hundreds of students who braved thunderstorms and hail to catch a glimpse of royalty.
HRH #PrinceHarry chats to the UC crowd #RoyalVisitNZ #ucnow pic.twitter.com/6B4ayLYzDQ
— University of Canterbury (@UCNZ) May 12, 2015
The prince was escorted into the Matariki building to speak directly with Student Volunteer Army members, including co-founder Sam Johnson.
Harry was invited to sit in a green wheelbarrow as the SVA members explained how the group was formed after Canterbury's devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.
He was guided through the post-quake work they now do, which includes fixing community gardens, repairing abandoned bikes for students to ride, volunteering, and mentoring students.
Prince Harry told told the SVA that "community comes first".
The prince spoke of how people were often more familiar with what was happening on social media sites like Facebook than what happened in their own communities.
"Everyone seems to be more connected with the world than with their own community," he said.
Harry heard from members of the SVA about its idea for a national service day - encouraging people around the country to give back to their communities.
"It's little things like that that make such a difference," he said.
Harry said he believed there were many former military people who still wanted to give back to their countries, so did so through volunteering, like the SVA did for Canterbury following its earthquake.
He believed the SVA model should be "replicated across the world".
#PrinceHarry arrives at the University of Canterbury to meet the Student Volunteer Army #RoyalVisitNZ #Christchurch pic.twitter.com/lfkn26Zs1u
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
#PrinceHarry sits on an upturned wheelbarrow (how the SVA held their planning meetings in early days) #RoyalVisitNZ pic.twitter.com/xDN48YnzAY
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
#PrinceHarry talks to Sam Johnson, founding member of the Student Volunteer Army #RoyalVisitNZ #Christchurch pic.twitter.com/4UOT7OaPdt
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
Members of the SVA took the prince outside to the main quad amidst chants of "Harry, Harry" from the waiting crowd.
Harry was taken to various activity stations set up to show some of the initiatives the SVA was involved with in Christchurch after the city's earthquakes.
The displays included bicycle repairs, painting and vegetable gardening.
Student Florence Hinder showed Harry the SVA's bike restoration project.
#PrinceHarry talking to Student Volunteer Army members and looking at the bike restoration project #RoyalVisitNZ pic.twitter.com/NBN9FjniGc
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
"It's about getting old bikes from the university that are left around, restoring them with students and giving them out to people who've had their bikes stolen."
Harry told her he "needed a bike" and was presented with a special gold-coloured model the SVA had restored especially for him.
"If he is willing to take it we'll happily give it to him, otherwise we'll auction it for Vanuatu," Ms Hinder said.
Students and flatmates Stephanie Russell, Isabelle Smith and Sophie Smith showed Harry how the SVA's "green platoon" worked.
The gardening-based project sent students out to help members of the public with work that needed to be done in their gardens.
Harry had a go at planting a vegetable plant in a wooden planter box, which would later be donated to the Riccarton Community Garden.
"He told us he made a really good vegetable soup," Isabelle Smith said. "The girls in the crowd loved it. They said they could make a really good vegetable soup too."
Harry checked out a few other displays, including a food bank project involving Cobham Intermediate pupils and the SVA, and one from university students supporting Nepal following that country's magnitude-7.8 earthquake on April 25.
Harry shook his head at several members of the media who accidentally knocked over a message spelt out on the ground using tea-light candles.The message read "NZ 4 Nepal".
Harry was then able to meet more members of the crowd, shaking hands and offering them cupcakes baked by students.
Hannah Frauenstein cheekily asked for the flowers Harry was holding, instead of a cupcake.
"He was the first boy to give me flowers," she said.
"It's love - definitely worth the hail."
Many students seemed reluctant to eat the cupcakes given to them by the prince.
Prince Harry hands out cupcakes to the crowd #RoyalVisitNZ pic.twitter.com/MhZc3TGh4f
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 12, 2015
"Why aren't you eating them?" he asked one group.
As the prince left the university, Sophie Smith said the visit had been "divine".
"I didn't care about him before, but I do now."
#PrinceHarry spray paints a sign for the students #RoyalVisitNZ #Christchurch pic.twitter.com/mDDaTZ7NDT
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
Harry shook hands and took photographs first with several people waiting patiently at the barricade, wearing ponchos due to the bad weather.
Lots of people braved the rain for a chance to shake #PrinceHarry's hand #RoyalVisitNZ #Christchurch pic.twitter.com/E8fPyEoZcP
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
Students present #PrinceHarry with a box of goodies from the University of Canterbury #RoyalVisitNZ #Christchurch pic.twitter.com/1887b5fPET
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
Prince Harry signed a red and black garden shed that was rescued from the residential red zone.
"Thanks for having me! Sorry about the weather! Best wishes. Harry."
The shed will be used as a mobile office for the SVA.
Prince Harry donned garden gloves and helped students plant flowers.
Students craned behind barriers with smartphones to snap shots of the young royal.
#PrinceHarry has a group photo with students #RoyalVisitNZ #Christchurch pic.twitter.com/fG3lZyppe4
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
Earlier today, on his first visit to Christchurch, Prince Harry met with masses of excited royal fans lining the streets of Cashel Mall, shaking hands, gushing over babies and posing for pictures.
Prince Harry meets members of the public in Christchurch on the fourth day of #RoyalVisitNZ https://t.co/HevNGn0kF1
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 12, 2015
French national Marie Charlotte, 28, told Prince Harry that she took a day off her job as receptionist at a Christchurch hotel just to see him.
"He seemed very surprised," she said.
Her neighbour at the barrier was Christchurch woman Sue Merry.
She found it emotional that the prince - following his elder brother - had come to the post-quake city.
Ms Merry shook his hand and thanked him for coming, "It means everything to us," she said.
"But I'm not going to cry, I'll be on a buzz all day."
Marie Malcolm, 70, told the prince he was "just as gorgeous as his mother".
"He thanked me very much for that."
She told him to "keep having fun".
"He pointed at my eyes and said, 'I can see you like having fun too'," he told her
Earlier, the prince, accompanied by Prime Minister John Key, visited Quake City, an
interactive exhibition that informs visitors about the 2011 quakes and their aftermath.
He hopped what's know as a Gap Filler Bike and asked: "What happens when I start pedalling?"
"This should be a thing at gyms," he said.
Prince Harry met Matt Gauldie, a Defence Force Artist, and spoke to him about a painting of one of the private soldiers. The painting represents the service people who helped the immediate cleanup of the Canterbury quakes - known as the earthquake patrol painting.
The prince said he was amazed by earthquake footage and photographs.
He asked Gauldie about his career: "Have you been all over the place?"
The trips have been "fantastic so far," he said.
The popular prince made his first visit to Christchurch this morning to gasps of delight from fans who spotted the tram arriving at Quake City.
Molly Carling, 14, Natalie O'Connell, 14, and Emily Hendry-Kerr, 15, were gushing at their first sight of Prince Harry.
"We made eye contact," said Emily
They thought the prince, in a navy blue suit and tie, was "looking good, real good".
"Oh my god, I can see him," one watcher excitedly said.
A big cheer erupted when got off the tram, along with lots of applause.
He was met by Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel, and was flanked by Prime Minister John Key and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee.
Later this afternoon Prince Harry will visit Canterbury University to meet members of the volunteer student army.
@CobhamInt student leaders with Student Volunteer Army ready to meet Prince Harry this arvo! #PrinceHarry #edchatnz pic.twitter.com/oyXjQL9uUs
— Scott Thelning (@ScottThelning) May 12, 2015
In a candid interview on Stewart Island yesterday, the Prince, fifth in line for the British throne, said it would be great to raise children and have "someone to share the pressure" with.
"Of course, I would love to have kids right now, but there's a process that one has to go through and ... tours like this are great fun," he told Sky News yesterday.
He said he was doing "all right" by himself, but left the door open for romance.
"It would be great to have someone else next to me to share the pressure," he said. "It will happen when it's going to happen."
Saturday, May 9: Wellington
• Arriving in New Zealand, greeted by Governor-General at Government House.
• Visiting the National War Memorial and Anzac Square.
• Attending Hurricanes vs Sharks Super 15 rugby match, Westpac Stadium.
May 10-11: Stewart Island
A stunning sunrise over #StewartIsland this morning- Here's a photo taken by Prince Harry! #RoyalVisitNZ pic.twitter.com/GrbZtt0RFf
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 10, 2015
• Meeting locals and travelling to Ulva Island, a Department of Conservation open island sanctuary.
Prince Harry leaves #Ulva Island. What a beautiful place! #RoyalVisitNZ pic.twitter.com/P28fShQwGr
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 10, 2015
May 12: Christchurch
• Visiting the Quake City exhibition, mall, and meeting student volunteers from Canterbury University.
May 13: Palmerston North
• Visiting Linton Military Camp. He is to be taught the Army's haka.
May 14: Wanganui
• Powhiri at Putiki Marae followed by a waka experience.
• Meeting with veterans and a walkabout.
May 15: Auckland
• Visit to Southern Cross Campus School where he will view a cultural performance and meet with students.
• Visit to spinal rehabilitation unit.
• Visit to Turn your Life Around.
• Visit to Government House. There will be an evening reception to recognise emergency services.
May 16: Auckland
• FIFA U20 event, followed by a walkabout at The Cloud.
• Visit to High Performance Sport New Zealand at Mairangi Bay.
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