Britain's Prince William was draped in a Maori feather cloak and greeted with a traditional warrior challenge on Monday during his first official trip overseas to represent his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
On the second day of his trip to New Zealand, the second-in-line to the throne opened a new Supreme Court in the capital with around a thousand people gathering to watch him arrive to a traditional Haka welcome by Maori warriors.
The crowd swelled as the 27-year-old prince left the building after the hour-long opening and did a walkabout, shaking hands and greeting enthusiastic onlookers.
"Have you been waiting all this time? I'm so sorry," he said to one person.
There were a handful of republican protesters outside the court, along with a group of pro-monarchists and a large number of workers from the Justice Ministry, protesting noisily for higher pay.
One protesting worker carried a sign "Marry me William, end my poverty."
William was due to visit a wildlife sanctuary and attend a barbecue at Prime Minister John Key's official residence later Monday.
On Tuesday he is due to fly to Australia for an informal three-day visit.
Copyright 2010 AFP Global Edition
