Britain’s Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will not meet New Zealand’s Maori King because he wanted to see them for longer than the allocated time.
Prince William, Duchess Catherine and their seven-month-old son Prince George will arrive in the country on April 7 as part of a 19-day visit to New Zealand and Australia.
They will visit Wellington, Blenheim and Auckland, among other places, and were set to meet with King Tuheitia at his headquarters, the Turangawaewae marae, but he decided the 90-minute slot would not be long enough.
Prime Minister John Key says there are demands on the royals’ time and it was "disappointing" that the offer had been rejected for the king to meet them at the headquarters.
He said: "I think it’s a shame he’s not going, but that was a decision made solely by King Tuheita’s people.
"They were offered a 90-minute slot – that was longer than pretty much any other engagement they have. King Tuheita’s people decided it wasn’t long enough and on that basis, they rejected him actually attending."
Mr Key said the King’s staff told officials at Kensington Palace "if you can’t make it longer than 90 minutes, then don’t come."
He added: "It’s a matter for them to decide their own thing, but in the end [Prince William] has a fairly tight timetable. I would have thought [90 minutes] was quite generous."
King rejects offer to meet William and Catherine
