Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in New Zealand Monday on a much-anticipated three-week royal tour of that country and Australia, the first trip for baby Prince George.
While George is making the long trip with William and Catherine, it's not yet clear if he will be attending public events with his parents.
Announcing the royal couple's planned engagements on the April 7 to 25 visit, the Prince's private secretary identified occasions at which the youngest royal might be present, but kept an element of suspense.
"George being just a little over eight months old by the time they travel, I'm sure you will appreciate that the couple will have to make a final decision on those moments much closer to the time," he said
With Prince William second in line to the British throne and his young son third, Queen Elizabeth II had to give permission for both to travel on the same plane.
The royals touched down Monday in Wellington, New Zealand's capital. Battling windy conditions, Catherine held her son as they exited the plane and, along with Prince William, were greeted by dignitaries on the tarmac.
After a 10-day tour taking in stops in Hamilton, Christchurch and Queenstown, the royals will travel on to Australia for the second leg of their trip.
One of the engagements earmarked for a potential appearance for Prince George is the opening of the Bilby Enclosure at Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
The Australian government made a donation to the zoo for its bilby preservation program when George was born, and the enclosure is to be named after him, the palace said.
On its website, the zoo said the Australian government had given a bilby, a native nocturnal marsupial with large ears, to the young prince to "adopt."
The royals will also visit the Blue Mountains near Sydney, where they'll meet residents affected by recent bush fires, Uluru and the capital, Canberra, while in Australia.
Shared enthusiasm for trip
Prince Charles and Princess Diana first took Prince William to New Zealand and Australia in 1983, and he was photographed taking his first steps on the lawn of Government House in Auckland, New Zealand.
No comments:
Post a Comment