Despite the late hour there were smiles all round as Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall stepped off their plane in Auckland. Whilst their visits to both Papua New Guinea and Australia have been particularly busy the royal couple looked fresh and excited to arrive in New Zealand for the final leg of their Australasian Tour.Charles and Camilla were greeted by the country's Prime Minister John Key and the Minister for Maori Affairs Pita Sharples as well as a formal guard of honour. The Duchess sported an on-trend beige cape and a tan clutch bag, whilst her husband opted for a grey suit complete with a red remembrance poppy.
The couple bid farewell to Australia after an action-packed few days that saw them visit Longreach, Melbourne, Adelaide, Tasmania, Sydney and Canberra. During their stay the duo took a active role in their engagements, with Charles turning his hand to 'fleece-throwing' at a sheep farm as well as joining his wife to cuddle a cute pair of koala bears and this is set to continue for the next few days.Whilst in New Zealand the couple will meet with athletes who participated in this summers' Olympic Games, the waka crew who featured in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant and a host of primary school children when they attend a performance of Hairy Maclary.The six-day trip will also see the Queen's eldest celebrate his 64th birthday in style. Avid Tolkein fan Charles is to spend the day meeting Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson at the Wellington-based studios where he is putting the finishing touches to The Hobbit.Given the Jubilee's theme of 'service to the community' the royal duo will also dedicate much of their time to meeting volunteers, teachers, farmers and shopkeepers before heading back to the United Kingdom on Friday.
