In the most anticipated moment of his New Zealand tour, Prince Harry put on his scariest face and performed the haka at Linton Military Camp today, as part of a fun day of boys’ toys, Maori culture and army action.
The Prince had apparently been sent a briefing in advance so that he could learn the words but the steps were new to him.
He was shown a perfect performance from the local soldiers after which The Weekly and the rest of the media were asked to leave the gym while Prince Harry was tutored.
Just 20 minutes later His Royal Highness was ready to show us his moves. No pressure!
Standing in the heart of the group, Harry worked up quite a sweat stamping and grimacing and – miraculously – keeping in sync with all of those around him. The Prince didn’t quite manage to stick his tongue out at he end – even though he’d had plenty of practice poking his tongue out at babies in Christchurch!
Nevertheless, it was an impressive performance.
Earlier, the action man Prince who formerly leaves the British army next month, had arrived at the camp in a NH90 chopper landing James Bond style to a throng of waiting media.
Prince Harry then jumped into an ATV (all terrain vehicle) and drove off around the camp with the Linton soldiers.
The destination was a hangi – a traditional Maori earth oven – elsewhere in the camp. There the Prince donned gloves and helped his fellow soldiers lift the smoking oven into the back of a waiting truck to transport to the lunch venue.
More boys’ toys were on the cards for Harry when he then climbed aboard a LAV (large armoured vehicle).
Sitting on the top in a camouflaged hard hat and goggles he looked as if he was in his element and gave a joyous thumbs up to those of us on the ground.
In the Officer’s Mess, the hangi of chicken, pork, lamb and veges was served, with a karakia (prayer).
The Prince chatted to members of the Defence Force, including wounded soldiers, families of the fallen and Invictus Games athletes. Harry was reunited with wheelchair-bound wounded warrior Corporal Jason Sturley, 47, of Linton, who had met the Prince before and watched him try a game of wheelchair rugby at last year’s Invictus Games.
“He’s a fantastic guy. Down to earth. Very genuine. We had a bit of banter. We joked about wheelchair rugby. He’s had a go at it. He competed. He said everyone treated him like anyone else out there,” said Jason.
Jason was injured in a 2007 deployment in the Solomon Islands. He lost a leg due to septicaemia.
“It’s an awesome thing for him to take the time out to come here,” he said.
“Couldn’t be better. Especially as a serving member of the armed forces.”
Harry also chatted to Joss Smillie, senior HR advisor for Linton and Hokowhitu, 42, telling her, “You guys have a sweet deal!” talking of the camp’s beautiful location and facilities.
“He likes the place,” said Joss.
“He’s from an army background, so he’s had a look around the world, so that’s a big deal for him to say that. He’s really approachable. Real easy to talk to. He would definitely fit in around here. He’s an easy-going character. It’s always a great time to showcase what we have here. It’s an honour to have him here.”
Prince Harry playing rugby with Linton Camp school kids
Kathy Brereton, 57, is a logistics clerk in Palmerston Northand was thrilled to meet Harry.
“He’s very down-to-earth. He could relate to everyone from the high-ranking colonels to us girls at the bottom.”
Sergeant Major Brent Pene, 45, the man who led the haka, introduced the kapa haka (performing arts) group with: “Tena koe, your royal highness, we’ve got to stop meeting like this … I hope you enjoy these handsome men and women, and their melodious sounds.”
The kapa haka group is called Kairanga, made up of Linton soldiers and family members, and has won awards. They sang a beautiful waiata with lyrics referencing fallen soldiers and victims of the Christchurch quake, then after warm applause from Harry, a more exuberant action song. Clearly impressed, the Prince met members of the group afterwards for what the delighted UK press described as a “mass hongi”.
Charleigh Te Peeti, 24, got to hongi (rub noses with) Harry. “It was great. He looks awesome in his uniform,” she said afterwards.
Jasmin Mcnabb, 17, whose dad is in army, also had a hongi. “You grow up dreaming of meeting a prince, so I was really nervous, but he was awesome!”
“It was quite humbling to have him among us for the haka,” added Pene.
“For him, the time frame allocated to teaching it wasn’t enough, so there was frustration on his part because he really wanted to nail it. I think he did. He was familiar with the haka, so he wanted to know whether we’d do ‘Ka Mate’, but we did the army haka. As soldiers, it’s not everyday you have a member of of the royal family doing the haka with you.”
After lunch, Prince Harry dropped by the Nursing Corp, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, to deliver a message from its patron, the Princess Royal, Princess Anne.
In the first group, he recognised a woman he met in Italy for the 100th anniversary of Cassino last year.
“Wow, you remember! The weather was a bit different then!” Lieutenant Sarah Linehan, 43, of Hastings, said afterwards, “That was when we took the veterans to Cassino. I remember how lovely he was with them. He related to them personally. You know what 90-year-old men are like. They’re completely themselves and he was completely himself. They got on really well. He related to each of them individually.”
Harry also chatted about Afghanistan to Major Simon Ainsworth, 38, of Linton, who had been to Afghanistan three times.
“We were at Afghanistan at the same time, relatively close. We never crossed paths, but we were comparing stories,” he says.
Finally Harry joined in a game of touch rugby on the playing fields with children from the Linton Camp school before jumping on his NH90 helicopter and waving at the crowds below.
As he was lifted into the skies the happy crowds bid goodbye to their royal guest.
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