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The Duke of Cambridge has arrived in New Zealand where he is set to meet survivors of the Christchurch mosque attacks and their families.

Prince William's two-day visit to the country began as he attended an Anzac Day ceremony in Auckland, where he paid tribute to those who died in battle.

Dressed in a navy blue suit and wearing medals, he joined dignitaries and a crowd of invited guests for the ceremony on the country's national day of remembrance.

After arriving at the city's war memorial, William was greeted with a traditional karanga, an exchange of calls that forms part of a powhiri, a Maori welcoming ceremony.

He joined in a poignant rendition of hymn Abide With Me, with parts of it sung in the Maori language, before listening to a performance of Requiem for a Soldier and bowing his head as prayers were offered up for those who died in Christchurch and the recent Sri Lanka terrorist attack.

Giving an address, Rear Admiral James Gilmour, Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, said New Zealand was still coming to terms with the mosque shootings.

"As a nation, we are still grieving the loss and the fact that this happened," he said.

Anzac Day 2019 - In pictures 31 show all Anzac Day 2019 - In pictures 1/31 The Duke of Cambridge walks with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during an Anzac Day service at the Auckland War Memorial EPA 2/31 The Duke of Cambridge meets five year old Alen Alsati and her father Wasseim, who are recovering in Starship Children’s Hospital in Auckland after being injured in the Christchurch mosques terrorist attack Kensington Palace 3/31 Prince William greets New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden during the service Reuters 4/31 The Duke of Cambridge laying a wreath at the Auckland Anzac Day Civic Service PA 5/31 A member of the 324 Squadron pictured during the Anzac Day dawn service at Coogee Beach in Sydney EPA 6/31 A soldier raises an Australian flag before a ceremony at Lone Pine, at Canakkale on the Gallipoli Peninsula AFP/Getty Images 7/31 Australia's Chief of Defence Forces Angus Campbell visits the Lone Pine Australian memorial to attend a ceremony to mark the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, in the Gallipoli peninsula in Canakkale, Turkey REUTERS 8/31 Gypsy O'dea (left), granddaughter of late Australian second world war veteran and former prisoner of war Neil Macpherson, is consoled by a member of Australia's Defense Forces at the Hellfire Pass section of the Thai-Burma railway, following the Anzac Day war memorial service at Hellfire Pass in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand EPA 9/31 Soldiers march during the Anzac Day parade in Brisbane EPA 10/31 Australian servicemen take part in Anzac Day ceremonies at the military cemetery of the Australian National Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux, northern France AFP/Getty Images 11/31 Prince William attends an Anzac Day service in Auckland Reuters 12/31 The Duke of Cambridge lays a wreath during an Anzac Day service at the Auckland War Memorial EPA 13/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand attend a dawn ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, at Anzac Cove in the Gallipoli peninsula in Canakkale, Turkey Reuters 14/31 People walk among gravestones after an Australian Memorial service at Lone Pine, at Canakkale on the Gallipoli Peninsula AFP/Getty Images 15/31 Australia's Defence Force Chief Gen. Angus Campbell stands in attention during a ceremony at the Lone Pine Cemetery, in Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey, AP 16/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand attend a dawn ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, at Anzac Cove in the Gallipoli peninsula in Canakkale, Turkey Reuters 17/31 People visit the Lone Pine Cemetery in Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey AP 18/31 Australian visitors attend a dawn ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, at Anzac Cove Reuters 19/31 Australian visitors attend a dawn ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, at Anzac Cove Reuters 20/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand attend a dawn ceremony at Anzac Cove Reuters 21/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand wait at Anzac Cove to attend a dawn ceremony Reuters 22/31 The Auckland Anzac Day Civic Service at Auckland War Memorial PA 23/31 People participate in the Anzac Day march in Sydney, Australia EPA 24/31 Soldiers march during the Anzac Day parade in Brisbane EPA 25/31 People attend he Dawn Service ceremony at the Anzac Cove beach, the site of World War I landing of the Anzacs AP 26/31 Participants take part in the Anzac Day parade in Sydney AFP/Getty Images 27/31 A woman carries a photo of a veteran during a march celebrating Anzac Day in Sydney AP 28/31 People attend the Anzac Day war memorial service at Hellfire Pass in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand EPA 29/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand gather during a Dawn Service ceremony at Anzac Cove Beach, at Canakkale on the Gallipoli Peninsula AFP/Getty Images 30/31 People attend the Australian Memorial Service at Lone Pine in commemoration of the Gallipoli War on Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey EPA 31/31 Australian soldiers take part in Anzac Day ceremonies at the military cemetery of the Australian National Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux, northern Franc AFP/Getty Images 1/31 The Duke of Cambridge walks with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during an Anzac Day service at the Auckland War Memorial EPA 2/31 The Duke of Cambridge meets five year old Alen Alsati and her father Wasseim, who are recovering in Starship Children’s Hospital in Auckland after being injured in the Christchurch mosques terrorist attack Kensington Palace 3/31 Prince William greets New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden during the service Reuters 4/31 The Duke of Cambridge laying a wreath at the Auckland Anzac Day Civic Service PA 5/31 A member of the 324 Squadron pictured during the Anzac Day dawn service at Coogee Beach in Sydney EPA 6/31 A soldier raises an Australian flag before a ceremony at Lone Pine, at Canakkale on the Gallipoli Peninsula AFP/Getty Images 7/31 Australia's Chief of Defence Forces Angus Campbell visits the Lone Pine Australian memorial to attend a ceremony to mark the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, in the Gallipoli peninsula in Canakkale, Turkey REUTERS 8/31 Gypsy O'dea (left), granddaughter of late Australian second world war veteran and former prisoner of war Neil Macpherson, is consoled by a member of Australia's Defense Forces at the Hellfire Pass section of the Thai-Burma railway, following the Anzac Day war memorial service at Hellfire Pass in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand EPA 9/31 Soldiers march during the Anzac Day parade in Brisbane EPA 10/31 Australian servicemen take part in Anzac Day ceremonies at the military cemetery of the Australian National Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux, northern France AFP/Getty Images 11/31 Prince William attends an Anzac Day service in Auckland Reuters 12/31 The Duke of Cambridge lays a wreath during an Anzac Day service at the Auckland War Memorial EPA 13/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand attend a dawn ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, at Anzac Cove in the Gallipoli peninsula in Canakkale, Turkey Reuters 14/31 People walk among gravestones after an Australian Memorial service at Lone Pine, at Canakkale on the Gallipoli Peninsula AFP/Getty Images 15/31 Australia's Defence Force Chief Gen. Angus Campbell stands in attention during a ceremony at the Lone Pine Cemetery, in Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey, AP 16/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand attend a dawn ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, at Anzac Cove in the Gallipoli peninsula in Canakkale, Turkey Reuters 17/31 People visit the Lone Pine Cemetery in Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey AP 18/31 Australian visitors attend a dawn ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, at Anzac Cove Reuters 19/31 Australian visitors attend a dawn ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of the World War One battle of Gallipoli, at Anzac Cove Reuters 20/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand attend a dawn ceremony at Anzac Cove Reuters 21/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand wait at Anzac Cove to attend a dawn ceremony Reuters 22/31 The Auckland Anzac Day Civic Service at Auckland War Memorial PA 23/31 People participate in the Anzac Day march in Sydney, Australia EPA 24/31 Soldiers march during the Anzac Day parade in Brisbane EPA 25/31 People attend he Dawn Service ceremony at the Anzac Cove beach, the site of World War I landing of the Anzacs AP 26/31 Participants take part in the Anzac Day parade in Sydney AFP/Getty Images 27/31 A woman carries a photo of a veteran during a march celebrating Anzac Day in Sydney AP 28/31 People attend the Anzac Day war memorial service at Hellfire Pass in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand EPA 29/31 Visitors from Australia and New Zealand gather during a Dawn Service ceremony at Anzac Cove Beach, at Canakkale on the Gallipoli Peninsula AFP/Getty Images 30/31 People attend the Australian Memorial Service at Lone Pine in commemoration of the Gallipoli War on Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey EPA 31/31 Australian soldiers take part in Anzac Day ceremonies at the military cemetery of the Australian National Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux, northern Franc AFP/Getty Images

The duke laid a wreath at the cenotaph before the country’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Auckland mayor Phil Goff did the same.

He joined the crowd in pausing for a minute's silence ahead of the national anthems of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

William, travelling without the Duchess of Cambridge or his three children, is due to head to Christchurch for the second part of his trip to meet with those affected by last month's mosque shootings.

His visit comes at the request of Ms Ardern after 50 people were killed and dozens others wounded in the attacks on two mosques during Friday prayers on March 15.

He is expected to meet survivors and their families, the first responders who dealt with the aftermath and Muslim community leaders during his short trip.

It is not the first time William has visited Christchurch in the wake of a tragedy, with the duke also travelling to the country following a devastating earthquake in 2011.

Ms Ardern, who has been praised worldwide for her handling of the fallout from the mosque attacks, said she believed this visit would "bring comfort" to the people affected.

"The duke has a close connection with New Zealand and in particular Christchurch," she said.

"His visit provides the opportunity to pay tribute to those affected by the mosque terrorist attacks and show support to the local and national community.

"We welcome this visit by His Royal Highness and know it will bring comfort to those affected."