Royal tour: Meghan Markle takes out gumboot-throwing prize in soggy Auckland outing
Tuesday, 30 October 2018
Cheers of 'go Harry' and 'go Meghan' echoed across an Auckland clearing as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex vied to win a gumboot-shaped trophy.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were at the North Shore Riding Club in Auckland on Tuesday morning to dedicate a 20ha section of native bush to the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy.
The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy, a conservation initiative, was launched in 2015 to mark Queen Elizabeth II's long service to the Commonwealth.
The pair, who are expecting their first child in the northern hemisphere's spring, also took part in a gumboot-throwing or 'welly-wanging' competition – with the duchess taking home the prize.
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Their Royal Highnesses were welcomed to the riding club, and to Auckland, with a powhiri and mihi by local kaumatua, as hosts scrambled to shelter them with umbrellas during a rain shower.
The duchess was dressed in dark colours, sporting black J Crew jeans and a Karen Walker blazer.
About 100 members of the QEII National Trust, which oversees the QCC in New Zealand, and children from nearby Pinehill School attended the private dedication ceremony.
Prince Harry said he and his wife were delighted to dedicate the native bush.
The Commonwealth Canopy aimed to help protect native forest and was a 'unique network of forest conservation projects', he said.
New Zealand was one of the first countries to join the initiative, and since then had registered more than 4500 covenants, he said.
'When you think that each of those covenants is enabling the protection of important areas of biodiversity on private land – that is a huge achievement and one that deserves recognition.
'As I learned in the car, there are no incentives; farmers are doing this because it's the right thing to do.'
Pinehilll School pupils performed waiata for the royal couple and helped the duke and duchess plant native trees.
Meghan planted a kowhai tree, a nod to the kowhai flower motif included on her wedding veil.
Prince Harry planted a puriri, which is indigenous to the northern North Island.
'We would love to think that one day Baby Sussex might return to New Zealand to check in on the trees his or her parents planted on their first Royal visit to New Zealand,' QEII Trust chairman James Guild said.
The duchess could be heard praising the children for their help. 'Well done,' she said.
Alex Chatterton, 11, planted a tree with the duchess and described the royal pair as 'nice' and 'caring'.
However, the couple's competitive streak came to light as they joined the children for a gumboot-throwing contest.
Meghan's team beat Prince Harry's after the duchess lobbed her boot about a metre further than her husband.
Ryen Anderson, 10, was on Meghan's team. She said Prince Harry told the group he would win next time.
The couple 'looked like they were really trying to throw the gumboot as far as they could', 10-year-old Isabella Iti said.
'There wasn't too much of a rivalry. I think [Meghan] was thinking that there was no chance that she would win. But she did.'
Meeting the Duchess was 'awesome' and 'amazing', Isabella said.
Guild presented the duke and duchess with several gifts from the trust and community, including a pair of green infant-sized gumboots emblazoned with kiwi, a baby shawl and two pounamu.
After the North Shore event, the duke and duchess were due to travel to Pillars, a south Auckland charity which supports the children of prisoners.
New Zealand's wedding gift to the royal couple was a $5000 donation to the charity.