NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Royal couple charm Christchurch

By Rebecca Quilliam of APNZ and Fairfax
Other·
16 Nov, 2012 06:34 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla arrive for a welcome at the Christchurch City Council building. Photo / AP

Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla arrive for a welcome at the Christchurch City Council building. Photo / AP

Forget William and Kate, it was Prince Charles and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall who received rockstar adoration during their trip around the country this week.

Today rounded out their royal week-long tour, taking in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Feilding and Christchurch.

This afternoon the royal couple toured Christchurch and watched as the shattered city continued the long process of rebuilding itself.

They inspected the central city red zone with a backdrop of tall buildings being demolished and dust, thick in the air.

About a thousand visibly excited locals looked past the destruction and quickly gathered to surround the couple, shake their hands and welcome them to Christchurch.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In Christchurch the couple showed off some moves at the Dance-o-mat, a makeshift dance space on Oxford Terrace.

Student Volunteer Army founder Sam Johnson took the Duchess for a spin on the dancefloor, and the Prince swayed onto the mat followed by Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker and his wife Jo Nicholls Parker.

The Prince danced with local resident Lisa Shannon, who said the moment "completed her destiny".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I just asked him if he wanted to dance and he said 'yes'. If you don't ask you don't get. He was a beautiful dancer. Very nice.

"I'm still buzzing. My husband is a lucky man tonight."

Cantabrian Murray Ireland gave Charles a photograph taken in 1977 of the Dowager Duchess - a close friend of the Queen Mother.

"She taught Charles history and he told me he was very fond of her, so I gave it to him. He said 'thank you' and that he was very happy."

Discover more

Royals

Capital hosts royal birthday today

13 Nov 06:45 PM
Royals

Royal welcome in Wellington

14 Nov 01:02 AM
New Zealand

Royal visit: Birthday wishes

14 Nov 07:01 AM
New Zealand

Royal tour visits Manawatu

15 Nov 02:47 AM

The couple also spoke in private with about 20 people who were seriously injured in the February 22, 2011 earthquake.

Charles and Camilla then headed to Oxford Terrace, where they met about 15 residents outside a badly damaged red-zoned house.

Prince Charles also gave a copy of the letter of condolence, sent to the people of Christchurch on the first anniversary of the February earthquake, to the city's Mayor Bob Parker.

The letter will be included in a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee time capsule to be buried at the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Clock Tower in Victoria St.

Following their city stops, Prince Charles and Camilla attended the day's annual A&P Show, where again their presence was quickly noted and hundreds gathered to catch a glimpse, take a photo, or, if they were lucky, shake the hands of the Prince and his wife.

About 400 media were accredited to capture the trip to New Zealand, and royal security were tasked with the daunting job of ensuring the royal couple had space to breathe.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Quickly they herded media, like the livestock, at the A&P show.

The couple watched the Shetland Grand National and presented a ribbon to the Best in Show - an enormous steer.

During the presentation, the steer needed to relive himself. A royal official was heard to comment, "That's what we call the 'Royal Wee'."

Over the week, the couple attended about 40 engagements, including experiencing Maori culture, commemorating Armistice Day, attending a performance of Hairy Maclary, inspecting jet technology, meeting Weta workshop creations, visiting a farmers market, meeting family members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and of course, celebrating a birthday.

Prince Charles has been wished a happy birthday all week, an official said.

Prime Minister John Key said the week was a success.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I think they're having a fabulous time here in New Zealand and the crowds are enormously behind them, rightfully so.

"They're just enjoying what they're seeing."

On Monday anti-royalist Sam Bracanov planned to throw a bucket of sloppy horse manure at the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall before police thwarted his plan. He and a handful of others in Auckland appeared to be the only dissenting voices to the royal visit.

"Everyone else has come to meet them and celebrate the royal family," Mr Key said.

Diamond Jubilee Visit Office director Michael Chilton told APNZ that not only had the couple experienced different aspects of New Zealand, New Zealanders had had a chance to see different aspects of their future king.

He said the trip had gone without a hitch.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"From the Diamond Jubilee Office point of view, things have gone every bit as much as we'd hoped - and in many places a great deal more.

"I think you've got excellent crowd turnouts at all the possible venues."

Mr Chilton said so many people wanted to meet the couple and they were both genuinely interested in the people they met, often their schedule ran behind time.

"I think if that's been a problem, it's been a good problem. Both of them have been so keen to meet people and shake hands, that has dropped our programme back in time."

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will leave Christchurch tonight and stop off in Singapore on their way home.

They probably need a break.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

'Good down here': Neighbours shocked after human remains found in front yard

24 Jun 03:48 AM
New Zealand|crime

Fatal hit-and-run: Police hunt motorcyclist with full leg tattoo

24 Jun 03:34 AM
New Zealand

'Surreal experience': Matariki rises as sun sets for six weeks in Antarctica's winter

24 Jun 03:32 AM

Kaibosh gets a clean-energy boost in the fight against food waste

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
$13b risk prompts Govt to back controversial bank law change

$13b risk prompts Govt to back controversial bank law change

24 Jun 04:00 AM

Banks are to benefit from the controversial decision.

The Australian-born rising rugby star beating the odds

The Australian-born rising rugby star beating the odds

24 Jun 04:00 AM
'Good down here': Neighbours shocked after human remains found in front yard

'Good down here': Neighbours shocked after human remains found in front yard

24 Jun 03:48 AM
Fatal hit-and-run: Police hunt motorcyclist with full leg tattoo

Fatal hit-and-run: Police hunt motorcyclist with full leg tattoo

24 Jun 03:34 AM
Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style
sponsored

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP