Like true royal fans, the Wellington Hurricanes have added Prince Harry to a picture of their mascot Captain Hurricane in his plane. Picture / Supplied
Like true royal fans, the Wellington Hurricanes have added Prince Harry to a picture of their mascot Captain Hurricane in his plane. Picture / Supplied
Wellington team catch royal fever and hatch plans to make sports-mad visitor’s first day a memorable one.
From setting up pest traps to catching a tram, performing the haka, riding a waka and watching Super Rugby, Prince Harry's trip to New Zealand, which kicks off today, will certainly be varied.
The spare to the throne touches down at Wellington's Military Terminal for his six-day official visit.
Will he lean in for a pash and a marriage proposal from a cheeky tiara-wearing blonde like he did in Sydney? Will he order burgers at a takeaway joint like he did in Perth?
The public and the ever-present prowling paparazzi will be watching his every move, especially during the Prince's rare private time.
Catching a snap of an unguarded moment away from the rigidity of strict royal protocol and official timetables could net a small fortune for an amateur snapper.
Tabloid photos of a topless Kate Middleton sunning herself on a private terrace at a French hideaway in 2013 are said to have sold for more than 1 million ($2,068,000).
Pics of the Party Prince in a Las Vegas hotel penthouse in 2012 went for a princely sum too.
Such frivolities are highly unlikely for Harry on this tour of duty, especially as the monarchy is currently enjoying sunny times in the global spotlight with the birth of his royal niece.
So, what will His Royal Shyness likely get up to while visiting? Make some sporting mates, for starters.
The Hurricanes, Wellington's rugby franchise, are riding high on Harry fever. The prince will attend their match against the Sharks tonight at Westpac Stadium, and the team are now calling themselves the "Harrycanes".
The team took to social media posting a poorly doctored picture of their mascot, Captain Hurricane, in his plane with the pilot prince at the helm.
Prince Harry, a veteran of two Afghanistan deployments and one of the world's best Apache helicopter pilots, will watch the game without media glare. There will be no access for journos while he is at the game.
That means a meet-and-greet with the team post-match may get a little raucous in the changing rooms where Heinekens are said to flow freely.
A spokeswoman for Wellington Rugby told The Diary last week the rugby players "are hoping they might be able to give him a jersey and have some time with him".
With no more official commitments for the day, Prince Harry may find himself at an establishment on Courtney Place with the 'Canes showing him a real dose of Kiwi hospitality.
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Fear not, The Bachelor might be over, but the Commonwealth's most eligible man is arriving today. Prince Harry, the fifth in line to the throne, is sure to get hearts beating and minds aspiring. Princess fever is rife. So, who might win the heart of our favourite ginger? We bring you our top five candidates ...
Top prospects (from left), Teuila Blakely, Dani Robinson, Lorde, Maria Tutaia and Lydia Ko. Picture / Supplied
Heavy metal band Motley Crue chowed down on a nine-course degustation menu at the Ponsonby restaurant Sidart after being turned away from The French Cafe.
Bassist and founding member Nikki Sixx tweeted: "Just got told by The French Cafe in New Zealand, 'We don't care who you are, if you don't have reservations you can't eat here"'. The tweet was tagged #GoodPoint.
The band had been on the restaurant's waiting list, but there were a number of reservations ahead of them and The French Cafe evidently doesn't play favourites.
Motley Crue will play at Vector Arena tonight with Alice Cooper before continuing on to Australia.
The band managed to get in at Sidart and met chef Sid Sahrawat. Picture / Supplied
