Stormy weather didn't dampen spirits as the Duke and Duchess began the Auckland leg of their tour with a gumboot throw.
More than a thousand people gathered at the Viaduct Harbour this afternoon to catch a glimpse of Prince Harry and Meghan.
The Royals arrived at the central Auckland location just after 4pm and were met by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Mayor Phil Goff.
As they stepped out of the motorcade, the crowd erupted with excitement, cheering as the pair greeted Ardern and Goff and began their slow journey down North Wharf.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet fans. Photo / Dean Purcell
The Duchess was dressed in a beige pencil dress with a light brown overcoat and tottered along the waterfront in a pair of dainty suede heels. The Duke looked dapper in a blue suit matched with a light blue shirt and blue suede shoes.
As the walk began and the sun started to peek through the clouds, the royal couple took extra effort to shake hands and exchange words with every person in the front row of the crowd.
It wasn't long before the gifts began to flood in from adoring fans, with the Duchess accepting bountiful bouquets of flowers, cards and soft toys for the up-and-coming royal baby.
While a plush elephant, knitted teddy bear, teething ring and All Blacks onesie all made the cut for accepted gifts, one of the more unlikely to meet Prince Harry's hand was that of a jar or Marmite.
With the salty spread in hand, the Duke and Duchess continued their way along the wharf, stopping to greet a toddler holding a plush toy and to inspect what sounds it makes before chatting with a bunch of schoolgirls skipping class for the royal visit.
Halfway along the wharf the crowd broke into song, singing the Māori version of the nation anthem.
As the Royals made their journey from one end of the wharf to the next, calls of "Hey Harry" and "I love you Meghan" reverberated in the air, with a cheeky interruption only to ask the Duchess "If Louis is really Litt", a reference to her role on Suits before getting engaged to Prince Harry.
While the Duke and Duchess were the stars of the day, Ardern and Goff trailed in their glory, shaking hands and posing for photos with star struck fans.
But, all eyes were on Harry and Meghan as their smiles moved a young girl to tears as they accepted her gift and the Duke knelt to make sure his smallest and youngest fans also got their taste of Royalty.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet fans during a public walk along Auckland's Viaduct Harbour. Photo / Dean Purcell
Duchess of Sussex waves to fans. Photo / Dean Purcell
Prince Harry is presented with a jar of Marmite.
At the break in the crowd one child got special attention from the Prince as he invited the toddler through the fence and the Duchess knelt to accept her tui bird soft toy.
Later the Duchess doted on a group of girls holding a sign saying, "We're skipping school for you".
Despite the rain holding off for the 40 minute walk, a cool breeze blew up the waterfront as the Royal couple made their way along the long line of awaiting fans, shaking hundreds of hands and sharing pleasantries.
While selfies are not really part of royal protocol, the Duchess was seen breaking code for a few sneaky shots – one leaving a curly haired young boy with a smile that will likely last for days.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Pool
As they neared the end of their walk, the excitement from the crowd did not ebb with cheers going up and a young girl screaming "he is right there!" as they edged closer.
After the last hand shakes took place the Royals quickly turned on their heels and walked hand in hand back to the motorcade.
But just before the Duchess made it to their car, she stopped to greet one more fan.
Hannah Sergel stood at the edge of the crowd holding a sign saying "It's Hannah from Instagram" which caught Meghan's eye.
After a hug and quick exchange with the Duchess, Sergel said Meghan used to follow her on Instagram and they had chatted before, but this was their first time meeting in person.
"She said thank you for getting in touch and then she gave me a hug and said she would read my letter that I gave her," she explained excitedly as the Duke and Duchess drove away, leaving the crowd humming with Royal fever.
