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Home / New Zealand

Royal visit: Governor-General's web page gets regal boost

Vaimoana Tapaleao
By Vaimoana Tapaleao
Pasifika Editor·NZ Herald·
15 Apr, 2014 04:15 PM3 mins to read

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Prince George during the Plunket get together at Government House.

Prince George during the Plunket get together at Government House.

Just over a week ago, the Governor-General's Facebook page was just another fairly ordinary page in the social media world.

Fast forward to today and it's one of the go-to places for people around the globe keen to see how the Royal Tour in New Zealand is going.

Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae's page now has almost 10,000 fans.

Watch: Raw: Prince George's Plunket playdate

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In the week since the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their son Prince George touched down in Wellington, almost 6000 people have followed the page.

A public affairs spokeswoman for Government House - who administer the page - said the social media uptake had been greater than expected.

"We've seen people following us on social media rising exponentially as a consequence of us posting pictures of the royal tour. We started at the beginning of the year with just over 3000 [followers] ... and there was a massive explosion when the royal visit arrived."

Gallery: The Royals head south

The Royal Couple have arrived in Dunedin. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
It was a ladies first hongi line in Dunedin. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
Gaylyn Howard, Jessica Mathieson with her mum Rebecca wait for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Dunedin Airport. Photo / Greg Bowker
The official greeting at Dunedin International Airport. Photo / Getty Images
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge receives a hug from five-year-old Mataawhio Matahaere Vieint at Dunedin International Airport. Photo / Getty Images
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge receives a official Maori greeting on arrival at Dunedin at Dunedin International Airport. Photo / Getty Images
The Duke and Duchess arrive at church in Dunedin. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
The Duke and Duchess walking up to the Palm Sunday service. Photo / Twitter  / Governor General
The Duke and Duchess have left church and are headed to rugby! Photo / Twitter / Governor General
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge greets members of the public after attending a Palm Sunday service at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral. Photo / Getty Images
Members of the public wait outside to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after a Palm Sunday service at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral. Photo / Getty Images
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are greeted by a large crowd at the Forsyth Barr Stadium on Sunday morning. Photo / Greg Bowker
Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, receive a welcome haka. Photo / AP
The Duke and Duchess with their rippa rugby teams. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
The Duke and Ritchie McCaw. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watches 'Rippa Rugby' in the Forstyth Barr Stadium on day 7 of a Royal Tour to New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images
All Black Captain Richie McCaw looks after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Forsyth Barr Stadium. Photo / Greg Bowker
The Duke of Cambridge kicks off the final rippa rugby game at the Forsyth Barr Stadium on Sunday morning while All Black Captain Richie McCaw talks with the Duchess. Photo / Greg Bowker
All Black Captain Richie McCaw looks after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Forsyth Barr Stadium. Photo / Greg Bowker
All Black Captain Richie McCaw looks after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Forsyth Barr Stadium. Photo / NZ Herald / Greg Bowker
The Duchess meets Brayden Marr from @CureKidsNZ, while All Black Sevens Captain DJ Forbes stands guard. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, visit a young players' rugby tournament, at Forsyth Barr Stadium, in Dunedin. Photo / AP
New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Tew, left, along with Britain's Prince William, second from left, his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, and All Blacks captain Richie McCaw. Photo / AP
Watched by NZ Rugby CEO Steve Tew, left, Britain's Prince William hands over the IRB Junior World Championship Trophy to All Blacks captain Richie McCaw. Photo / AP
The victorious Duke's rippa rugby team. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
The Royal couple leave Dunedin, bound for Queenstown. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
The Duke and Duchess have just landed in Queenstown! Photo / Twitter / Governor General
The Royal Couple have just arrived at @Amisfield in beautiful (sunny!) Queenstown. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
The Duke and Duchess sample some of New Zealand's famous wine. Photo / Twitter / Governor General
The Royal Couple walking through the @Amisfield Vineyard #RoyalVisitNZ . Photo / Twitter / Governor General
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge travel on the Shotover Jet on the Shotover River in Queenstown, New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images
QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND - APRIL 13:  Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge speak with students before boarding the Shotover Jet on the Shotover River on April 13, 2014 i
Catherine Duchess of Cambridge is presented with flowers before boarding the Shotover Jet on the Shotover River in Queenstown. Photo / Getty Images
Catherine Duchess of Cambridge has her lifejacket fitted as she prepares to board the Shotover Jet on the Shotover River in Queenstown. Photo / Getty Images
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend a Palm Sunday service at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral in Dunedin. Photo / Getty Images
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge walks with her husband Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral Trevor James. Photo / Getty Images
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Richie McCaw applaud Rippa Rugby winners as they lift the trophy. Photo / Getty Images
Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge take part in wine tasting with with the winery's co-owner John Darb. Photo / Getty Images

Image 1 of 38: The Royal Couple have arrived in Dunedin. Photo / Twitter / Governor General

Status posts and photos of the royal family out and about are being engaged by more than 162,300 people - about 18 times his actual fanbase. That means thousands of people are commenting, liking or sharing the page's posts every day.

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Probably the biggest attraction to the page is the fact the Governor-General's staff post real-time photos of Prince William and Catherine - and sometimes baby George - while they are on their engagements.

Unlike the hundreds of photographs that also promptly appear on international media websites, many of their pictures are unique, taken away from the media pack and therefore offering a different perspective or emotion.

Watch: Raw: Snapshot of Royal Prince George playdate

One of its most popular photos posted was at the second official tour engagement: A royal playdate with little George and 10 other babies at Wellington's Government House.

Discover more

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Royal visit provides boost industry

16 Apr 04:15 PM

The photo is of Prince George leaning into his mother's shoulder, with a cheeky grin spread across his face. The Duchess too is smiling and Prince William can be seen just behind them.

The photo has almost 100,000 likes.

"That photo was an absolute juggernaut," the spokeswoman said.

"To get something like that, that was unprecedented. It went all around the world."

It seems that more young people, particularly those in New Zealand, have overnight become big fans of the Governor-General and latched on to the page.

The British Monarchy - which has 1.1 million followers on Facebook - has also been hugely popular for royal-watchers.

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One of its most shared links was a photo of the royal family arriving in Wellington. Just over 900 people shared the picture and more than 15,500 people liked it.

Social networking sites Twitter and photo-sharing site Instagram have also been ablaze with royals footage and commentary this past week.

Hashtags trending on Twitter these past few days include #RoyalTourNZ and #NZroyalTour.

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