Saturday 12 April 2014

William and Kate go their separate ways

After five days of a family led presence on their New Zealand tour, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge separated on morning six to carry out individual engagements.  They arrived in Hamilton, Waikato together before Kate headed off to a children's hospice and William went to an aircraft production facility.


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arriving in Hamilton, Waikato on April 12th 2014

The Duchess of Cambridge has a deep interest in the children's hospice movement and in the UK she is the patron of the East Anglia Children's Hospice.  Her first solo engagement of the tour was at Rainbow Place NZ which looks after children with life limiting conditions and also offers support to children whose family are facing serious health problems.


The Duchess of Cambridge on arrival at Hamilton - her first solo of the tour was at a children's hospice

The duchess attended an Alice in Wonderland themed tea party and spent lots of time talking to the children at the hospice.


The Duchess of Cambridge in Wonderland - a special tea party at Rainbow Place NZ

Kate also visited an art therapy room where children learn to use creative hobbies to express their feeling about their own illnesses or what is happening to their loved ones who are ill.  One little girl told the duchess about using sand to tell the story of what is happening to her family.


The Duchess of Cambridge hears from one of the children at Rainbow Place Hospice on April 12th 2014

The Duke of Cambridge's solo engagement of the day was at Pacific Aerospace where he toured the production facility and heard about the work going on at the site as well as getting into another plane after spending much of day four trying out vintage aircraft in Omaka.


The Duke of Cambridge watching planes during his visit to Pacific Aerospace on April 12th 2014

The couple reunited in Cambridge around lunchtime - the town was named after the second Duke of Cambridge in the 19th century.  They did a walkabout with the crowd estimated at around 10,000.


The Duchess of Cambridge during a walkabout in Cambridge, New Zealand

The couple also laid a single red rose each at Cambridge's war memorial and spent some time talking to war veterans.


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge laying single red roses at the war memorial in Cambridge, New Zealand

The royal couple then had a date with some more New Zealand sports stars as they opened a new velodrome in Hamilton.  


Seeing double - William and Kate walking through the velodrome in Hamilton while images of them walking through the velodrome in Hamilton are projected on to a big screen behind them

At the Avantidrome, the couple were given a mini bike for Prince George - he won't be old enough to ride it for another year as it's made for two year olds - and some lycra cycling outfits with the little prince's name on the back.


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George's mini cycling outfit 

The Duchess of Cambridge was in a green coat by Erdem with a green and white print dress beneath by Suzannah.  The duchess told one fan that Prince William thought her outfit might be too bright.


The royal couple ta the Avantidrome in Hamilton

The couple headed back to Wellington at the end of day six of their tour, the first where they have gone their separate ways.


End of day six for William and Kate in New Zealand

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