Willing William gives it a go

Prince William's boot connects with the ball. Picture / Mark Mitchell

If there's any chance of making a right royal fool of yourself, you don't want the cameras around.

So the cunning Prince William yesterday tried to pull a fast one on the media. He turned up at the Basin Reserve disguised in a Lions tracksuit.

Unfortunately, his security guards weren't so sneaky and their presence quickly gave the game away. The press release announcing the photo opportunity didn't help either.

Seemingly unconcerned, William took to the field with bona fide Lions - first five-eighths Charlie Hodgson and kicking coach Dave Aldred.

Aldred showed William the sweet spot on his boot. It proved harder for the ball to find it. The second kick shot off left, to a guffaw from William.

The media were shuffled out, and updated on William's progress in a later press release from Hodgson - reporting improved skill and accuracy as the session progressed.

In the afternoon, William and the world's media congregated on the lawns of Government House, where he planted a podocarpus totara aurea, or golden totara.

"I'm quite keen to get my hands dirty," William assured head gardener Rebecca Hudson-Boyd, before shovelling in two spadefuls of earth and handing back the spade.

William continued a tradition started in 1954 when the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh planted two Blue Atlas Cedars on their first tour to New Zealand.

His father is rumoured to cheer on his newly planted trees with a bracing "good luck". William gave his own blessing: "A bit of rain and a bit of sunshine and they will be OK. Super."

A dinner and dance were held at Government House last night.

Tonight the Prince will attend the rugby test and tomorrow will perform his first public duty - a wreath laying at Wellington's National War Memorial.