She remembered him as a "very lovely, funny, typical 12-year-old" boy.
Seeing him today, she thought he hadn't changed much.
"He's just a lovely man."
McBratney took the day off work to stake out a spot in Cashel Mall with old photos, hoping that Harry would recognise her.
Prince Harry then visited a very soggy University of Canterbury campus to cheers from hundreds of students who braved thunderstorms and hail to catch a glimpse of royalty.
The prince was escorted into the Matariki building to speak directly with Student Volunteer Army members, including co-founder Sam Johnson.
Harry was invited to sit in a green wheelbarrow as the SVA members explained how the group was formed after Canterbury's devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.
He was guided through the post-quake work they now do, which includes fixing community gardens, repairing abandoned bikes for students to ride, volunteering, and mentoring students.
Prince Harry told told the SVA that "community comes first".
The prince spoke of how people were often more familiar with what was happening on social media sites like Facebook than what happened in their own communities.
"Everyone seems to be more connected with the world than with their own community," he said.
Harry heard from members of the SVA about its idea for a national service day - encouraging people around the country to give back to their communities.
"It's little things like that that make such a difference," he said.
Harry said he believed there were many former military people who still wanted to give back to their countries, so did so through volunteering, like the SVA did for Canterbury following its earthquake.
He believed the SVA model should be "replicated across the world".
Harry was taken to various activity stations set up to show some of the initiatives the SVA was involved with in Christchurch after the city's earthquakes.
The displays included bicycle repairs, painting and vegetable gardening.
Student Florence Hinder showed Harry the SVA's bike restoration project.
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
"It's about getting old bikes from the university that are left around, restoring them with students and giving them out to people who've had their bikes stolen."
Harry told her he "needed a bike" and was presented with a special gold-coloured model the SVA had restored especially for him.
"If he is willing to take it we'll happily give it to him, otherwise we'll auction it for Vanuatu," Ms Hinder said.
Students and flatmates Stephanie Russell, Isabelle Smith and Sophie Smith showed Harry how the SVA's "green platoon" worked.
The gardening-based project sent students out to help members of the public with work that needed to be done in their gardens.
Harry had a go at planting a vegetable plant in a wooden planter box, which would later be donated to the Riccarton Community Garden.
"He told us he made a really good vegetable soup," Isabelle Smith said. "The girls in the crowd loved it. They said they could make a really good vegetable soup too."
Harry checked out a few other displays, including a food bank project involving Cobham Intermediate pupils and the SVA, and one from university students supporting Nepal following that country's magnitude-7.8 earthquake on April 25.
Harry shook his head at several members of the media who accidentally knocked over a message spelt out on the ground using tea-light candles.The message read "NZ 4 Nepal".
— Governor-General NZ (@GovGeneralNZ) May 12, 2015
Earlier today, on his first visit to Christchurch, Prince Harry met with masses of excited royal fans lining the streets of Cashel Mall, shaking hands, gushing over babies and posing for pictures.
"He pointed at my eyes and said, 'I can see you like having fun too'," he told her
Earlier, the prince, accompanied by Prime Minister John Key, visited Quake City, an interactive exhibition that informs visitors about the 2011 quakes and their aftermath.
He hopped what's know as a Gap Filler Bike and asked: "What happens when I start pedalling?"
"This should be a thing at gyms," he said.
Prince Harry met Matt Gauldie, a Defence Force Artist, and spoke to him about a painting of one of the private soldiers. The painting represents the service people who helped the immediate cleanup of the Canterbury quakes - known as the earthquake patrol painting.
The prince said he was amazed by earthquake footage and photographs.
In a candid interview on Stewart Island yesterday, the Prince, fifth in line for the British throne, said it would be great to raise children and have "someone to share the pressure" with.
"Of course, I would love to have kids right now, but there's a process that one has to go through and ... tours like this are great fun," he told Sky News yesterday.
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 10, 2015
May 12: Christchurch • Visiting the Quake City exhibition, mall, and meeting student volunteers from Canterbury University.
May 13: Palmerston North • Visiting Linton Military Camp. He is to be taught the Army's haka.
May 14: Wanganui • Powhiri at Putiki Marae followed by a waka experience. • Meeting with veterans and a walkabout.
May 15: Auckland • Visit to Southern Cross Campus School where he will view a cultural performance and meet with students. • Visit to spinal rehabilitation unit. • Visit to Turn your Life Around. • Visit to Government House. There will be an evening reception to recognise emergency services.