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Ngā wai hono i te pō, the Māori Queen, is continuing her trip to London this week at Buckingham Palace. She met with King Charles ahead of the King’s Trust garden party today, wearing a classic white midi dress with a structured shirt-style collar.
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The meeting took place ahead of a palace garden party on Thursday.
On Monday, the Queen attended the King’s Trust global celebration at Royal Albert Hall, and on Tuesday, she met with Prince William at Windsor Castle. According to Kiingitanga, they discussed “a range of global topics” and she “affirmed her belief in the power of Indigenous knowledge and intergenerational stewardship to help solve the world’s environmental and social challenges.” The Māori monarchy noted it was “a meaningful kōrero [conversation]” focused on “a shared passion for environmental solutions that bring together indigenous knowledge and Western science.”
Kensington Palace
Prince William with Ngā wai hono i te pō at Windsor Castle.
“Whether at home or on the world stage, Te Arikinui’s leadership is about creating pathways for our people, particularly our rangathi [Māori youth] to thrive,” Rahui Papa, the spokesperson for Māori monarchy, called Kiingitanga, said in a statement ahead of her trip. (Te Arikinui is the queen’s title, meaning Paramount Chief.) Four Māori youth attended the King’s Trust anniversary celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday, and joined the queen at the garden party at Buckingham Palace today.
Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō is just the eighth Māori monarch in New Zealand, and second-ever queen, and is carrying on a long tradition of Māori leaders meeting with British royals. She last traveled to London in June 2022, when she met with then-Prince Charles on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Deputy Digital Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.