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Royals' dinner fit for a king
Capping off a hectic day of official engagements all over Auckland, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, sat down to a dinner surely fit for a future king.
A thundering Cook Islands drumming group from Liston College in Henderson heralded the arrival of the royals at the SkyCity convention centre for the Diamond Jubilee Trust reception and dinner on Monday evening.
The prince and duchess waved to the crowds gathered on the street as they were greeted by Sir Don McKinnon, chair of the Diamond Jubilee Trust.
Camilla was wearing a floor-length silver chiffon Anna Valentine dress with New Zealand-themed black and white decoration.
Invited dinner guests are New Zealanders who have made significant donations to the trust. Prime Minister John Key is also attending.
In his address to guests, Prince Charles said he's delighted to be back in New Zealand.
He said his wife, who has never visited New Zealand before, is determined to make up for lost time and they're looking forward to meeting Kiwis from all walks of life.
The menu, crafted by acclaimed chef Peter Gordon, includes hot-smoked salmon fish cakes with warm bacon, broad bean and olive salad to start, and a roast fillet of New Zealand beef on roast root vegetables and wilted spinach with bone marrow sauce for the main course.
Dessert is a chocolate passionfruit delice, with vanilla roast rhubarb, runny cream and shortbread.
New Zealand wines have been matched to each course.
Earlier in the day, the heir to the throne and his wife embarked on a damp walk through the Auckland CBD.
Rain didn't deter the crowds, with hundreds of people filling the streets hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal visitors.
But Prince Charles probably got more than he bargained for during his visit to the AUT Millennium sport institute, with New Zealand women's Sevens team member Linda Itunu giving him a sweaty hug.
"I saw him and he just looked like he needed a hug," she said.
"He said he doesn't mind."
Itunu was even kind enough to wipe the prince's face clean afterwards.
Charles and Camilla then headed off to a performance of Kiwi childhood classic Hairy Maclary.
Author Dame Lynley Dodd was warmly greeted by the couple, who laughed heartily during the show.
The duchess also visited East Tamaki Primary School where she cut up a carrot cake and ate a piece herself.
The couple's six-day visit to New Zealand, which also includes visits to Wellington, Feilding and Christchurch, is the final leg of their Diamond Jubilee tour representing the Queen.
Tuesday is a rest day for the couple with no official engagements.- < Previous
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59 Comments
I think in theory Kelvin's right - NZ should become a republic. Daniel also makes a good point which I agree in theory with. I too feel its time or at least wish to see NZ flying its own flag and become its own nation...but is NZ up to the challenge? As a proud New Zealander, I feel that NZ is a developing nation. Psychologically, we still associate ourselves with a poor little flightless bird called a Kiwi, who has hardly any chance of survival without our human intervention. We live in a country where our politicians are amateurs when compared with world powers; we are an innovative nation but our business people are inexperienced and powerless when compared with those of other civilised nations; Joe Public is still naive and insular; Our education system and attitude to life is not competitive enough for our country to be independent; the Maori's still think they are the rightful owners of this island...then we have the gangs throwing their weight and influence around, whom our authorities can't seem to or want to get rid of. So where exactly does NZ stand if it got rid of the Crown? The country becomes a republic and with a bit of luck, the people of NZ would realise that we can all live together, freely and willingly in a country belonging to ALL New Zealanders, under one flag as proud New Zealanders. But still, even with all our internal racial differences aside, after a while our politicians will suggest to us that our country needs to associate itself with someone bigger for security and economic reasons. As Fiji and Samoa are unlikely candidates, our politicians will try to sell us out to the fallen Uncle Sam, or to our cousins in Australia, or to China or India or who knows...maybe even to the Muslims if all fails. Where ever we end up, it is unlikely to be within our country's best interest. Some of you readers may be laughing by now or rolling over your eyes roll...but don't...as this has all happened before to other great countries and if one looks at these ideas over a span of time and whats happening in NZ today, what I write may not seem so unrealistic after all. As much as I'd prefer for my country to become a republic, I would still be inclined to look up to and / or follow the example set by Britain and Europe. We need to admit that Europe (which includes Great Britain) is a continent of great nations that lasted the test of time, that set out the foundations of the Western World as we know it - not America, whose empire was built on short lived values and ideals that only led to its fall and not Australia either. China too is a great nation that withstood the test of time but their culture is very different to ours, so what do we do people?
4 RepliesI would really like to just have a normal breakfast today, that I could pay for and eat,, instead of watching this ridiculous FOOD fest and fat cats eating tax payers money.
ReplyCharles wears a lot of medals and decorations he didn't earn. This must be devalue the in the eyes of people who did something brave or worthy to get a medal or award, e.g. how did Charles earn the Order of the Garter other than an accident of birth? Most people have to slog their guts out to earn a much lesser award, they must be insulted that someone who talks to trees can get a higher award for doing nothing.
ReplyI have nothing against the royal family and Charles i think he'll make a good king! The Queen herself has had a good reign she did so much for Britain during WW11 that so many people are quick to forget, but i do think we should become a republic!! they are also not the richest family in the world they hardly make the top 100 list
1 ReplyTime to do away with the Monarchy and strike out on our own. It's totally irrelevant and they're the richest family in the world so why should we be hosting them as well as paying for Camilla's hair when we have families living in poverty in Godzone ?
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