The itinerary for the Duke and Duchess’ of Cambridge’s upcoming Australian and New Zealand tour has been revealed.
The tour will definitely be a family affair, with Kensington Palace confirming that the royal couple will be bringing Prince George along for their three week Antipodean Adventure, arriving in New Zealand on Monday April 7, in Australia on Wednesday April 16 and departing on Friday April 25.
The family will make a “home base” with the Governors-Generals in both countries.
In New Zealand Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae and his wife Lady Janine will be hosting the Cambridges at Government House in Wellington; while in Australia incoming Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and his wife Lynne will play hosts at Admiralty House in Sydney and Yarralumla in Canberra.
With Prince George safely ensconced here with a travelling nanny to look after him, his parents will then be clocking up the air miles flying around both nations.
“It’s a tremendously exciting visit and I can tell you Their Royal Highnesses are looking forward to it immensely,” Miguel Head, Private Secretary to The Duke of Cambridge said at a packed media briefing at Kensington Palace on Friday.
“As you know, the Duchess has never visited either country, so this is a chance for her to meet the people of New Zealand and Australia for the first time.
“For the couple, this visit, at around three weeks in length, represents a wonderful opportunity on the one hand for The Duke to deepen his personal relationship with, and admiration for, New Zealand and Australia; and on the other, for the Duchess to experience some of the extraordinary warmth and hospitality for which the people of both countries are renowned the world over.”
One of the tour highlights will certainly be time spent taking in Uluru. It is the 31 years since his parents Princess Diana and Prince Charles visited the sacred site and Prince William will take his wife to see our most potent national landmark on April 22.
“The Duke and Duchess will visit Uluru itself, taking a short walk along its base in the company of a local guide. This, we think, will be a very special moment for both of them, because the rock itself is utterly captivating,” said Miguel Head.
Another highlight for Sydneysiders will be on Good Friday when the couple put a “Royal” stamp on the Royal Easter Show where who knows, they may catch sight of The Weekly’s food team cooking up a storm at our renowned test kitchen events.
Prince George will not accompany the couple as they head out to meet and greet, but there are a few chances still to be scheduled when the couple hope to take their son out and about.
“One or two engagements across the three weeks have been identified as times when the Duke and Duchess might take Prince George along, too,” Miguel Head explained.
“But, 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. The Duke and Duchess are content enough to know that he will be with them in the two countries.”
In what is the one-hundredth anniversary of the start of the First World War, the tour will also include recognition of the sacrifice of members of the Australian and New Zealand armed forces.
NEW ZEALAND ITINERARY
• Wellington (7th April, 9th April, 16th April)
• Blenheim (10th April)
• Auckland (11th April)
• Hamilton and Cambridge (12th April)
• Dunedin (13th April)
• Queenstown (13th April)
• Christchurch (14th April)
AUSTRALIA ITINERARY
• Sydney, NSW (16th, 18th, 20th April)
• Blue Mountains, NSW (17th April)
• Brisbane, QLD (19th April)
• Uluru (Ayer’s Rock), NT (22nd April)
• Adelaide, SA (23rd April)
• Canberra, ACT (24th, 25th April)
