Harry and Meghan arrive in windy New Zealand

A rousing haka welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to New Zealand yesterday on the final leg of their Asia Pacific royal tour.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex receives a "hongi" — a traditional Maori welcome — on the lawns of Government House in Wellington on Sunday. Picture: AP

A rousing haka welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to New Zealand yesterday as they embarked on the final leg of their Asia Pacific royal tour.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were farewelled from Sydney in the morning by officials from the federal and NSW state governments before boarding a Royal New Zealand Air Force plane to Wellington accompanied by several members of the New Zealand Invictus Games team.

The couple was greeted on the tarmac by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Wellington Mayor Justin Lester. Meghan wore a Karen Walker trench coat and Harry, a grey suit. Each wore a small poppy pin.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Picture: Getty

The Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Patsy Reddy and her husband, David Gascoigne, joined the couple on the lawns of Government House for a powhiri welcoming ceremony that included a traditional Maori hongi — the famous “nose kiss” of New Zealand — followed by a haka from members of the New Zealand Defence Force and a 21-gun salute.

The royal pair then laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Pukeahu Nat­ional War Memorial Park, where Harry was presented with a “Badge in Gold”, the Royal New Zealand Returned Services Association’s highest honour, awarded for his work with veterans and the armed forces.

Last night, the pair attended a reception celebrating the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand, a cause particularly close to the Duchess’s heart.

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex wait to meet New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Picture: AP

Today, Harry and Meghan will meet young people working on mental health projects, take a bushwalk through Abel Tasman National Park, lunch with some local school children and meet with a group of young people working in the film industry.

Tomorrow they will travel to Auckland where they will dedicate 20ha of bushland to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy.

Prince Harry and wife Meghan attend the Official arrival at the Government House on October 28. Picture: Getty

They will then visit a charity that supports children who have a parent in prison and attend a reception at the city’s War Memorial Museum. On their final day, they will visit Rotorua, where they will learn about the kiwi breeding program and the area’s redwood trees.

The tour will wrap up on Wednesday, marking the end of a 16-day visit that included 76 engagements across NSW, Victoria, Queensland’s Fraser Island, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.

It got off to a spectacular start with the Duchess announcing her pregnancy within hours of landing.

Additional reporting: Sam Buckingham-Jones