Duchess of Sussex uses Māori greeting before praising nation for promoting gender equality

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The Duchess of Sussex has charmed New Zealanders by speaking in te reo Māori, the language of New Zealand’s indigenous people, during her first speech in the country.

The duchess, visiting the country with her husband, Prince Harry, gave a passionate speech about women’s suffrage at Government House in Wellington on Sunday.

New Zealand was the first country to give women the right to vote, and is led by a female prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, the nation’s third female leader.

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After welcoming the assembled dignitaries, Meghan offered a formal greeting in te reo Māori. Her efforts earned her spontaneous applause and whoops from the audience.

“Tēnā koutou katoa [greetings to all],” she said.

Although her pronunciation was not perfect Meghan’s efforts were warmly received by New Zealanders, who themselves are learning the language in record numbers. Local news reports on the Duchess’s speech highlighted her use of te reo, while the opposition leader, Simon Bridges, described the couple as “charming” and “down to earth”.

The duchess praised New Zealand for granting women the right to vote 125 years ago, and said the small country had become a world leader in gender equality. “Feminism is about fairness,” she said. “So bravo New Zealand for championing this right 125 years ago … we all deeply thank you.”

She read a quote from the Liverpool-born suffragette Kate Sheppard, who moved to New Zealand in her 20s and features on the $10 bank note.

“All that separates, whether of race, class, creed or sex is inhuman and must be overcome,” the duchess quoted.

Jacci Grace (@jacci_sulueti) I have THE UTMOST RESPECT for people who come to NZ and integrate Te Reo into their speeches. The fact that she had the decency to acknowledge our indigenous language is truly an honor!!! 😍💙 #RoyalVisitNZ https://t.co/MHh1Cb8lZ1

Earlier in the day, the royal couple took part in a series of traditional Māori greetings, including a hongi with Māori elders, in which the couple touched noses with chiefs and shared breath, a pōwhiri [formal welcome ceremony] and a haka.

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New Zealand is the last stop on the royal couple’s tour, which has taken them to Australia, Tonga and Fiji.

Their itinerary includes a bush walk in Abel Tasman national park, a beach BBQ and visits to Rotorua and Auckland. The duchess visited New Zealand in 2014 and blogged about her travels in a campervan.

Prince Harry has visited the country several times and said he enjoyed it – not least because the people were less prone to requesting selfies.