Following this morning’s engagement at the Maranui Cafe, Meghan and Harry grabbed some foul weather gear and headed to Abel Tasman National Park on New Zealand’s South Island.
They were there to see some of the conservation initiatives managed by the country’s Department of Conservation.
It was a rainy arrival.
A rainy but warm welcome to Abel Tasman #RoyalVisitNZ pic.twitter.com/7rnSCRS4pi
— Hannah Furness (@Hannah_Furness) October 29, 2018
More via a Radio New Zealand story:
As rain fell and weka prowled around, Harry and Meghan were welcomed to the beachside campsite with a traditional pōwhiri from local iwi, with the blowing of a conch shell, a karanga and a long line of hongi.
Inside a marquee set up on the grass, local kaumātua Barney Thomas spoke in te reo, wishing them “kia kaha” with their “pepi”, Meghan smiling as this was translated. He later explained that he’d told the royals, “There’s two of you now and there will be three of you soon, and I’m sure you’ll be supported.”
Hannah Furness of The Telegraph points out that “You can only see the top of Meghan’s head because, while she’s in the front row as honoured guest, her chair is a few inches back from the men for cultural reasons. It is a gesture of protection in Maori culture
Harry then spoke to the group:
Thank you so much for having us today. The weather forecast was a lot worse than this and we are really fortunate to be here. The rain is a blessing and a reminder of our connection to the land.
From my wife, myself and our little bump, it’s a blessing to be here.”
A Department of Conservation ranger joined them for a walk on Totaranui, a 1km long beach in the park.
Plans originally called for a trail walk, tree planting and barbeque lunch.
The weather prompted the cancellation of the first two items, and brownies and tea replaced the lunch. But they were still able to speak with some of the park’s youth ambassadors.
More from the Radio NZ story:
Saskia Gray, 16, an Abel Tasman Youth Ambassador, commented, “It was a great opportunity. I’m very fortunate to have this chance. They acted very down-to-earth, and they genuinely care about the people and the land.”
As the couple was preparing to head back to Wellington, they were given several gifts. One of them was a painting of three tui birds, meant to represent Harry, Meghan and Baby Sussex. Hannah Furness shared a photo.
If you are wondering what a Tui bird is, here is a look at one.
Hannah also shared a video of Meghan being given gifts.
A final few gifts (this seemed to be a baby shawl carefully kept dry in a bag) before hopping back on the helicopter home #RoyalVisitNZ pic.twitter.com/uPwhBSDSha
— Hannah Furness (@Hannah_Furness) October 29, 2018
Now for our look at what Meghan wore, starting with her jacket by Seasalt Cornwall.
Seasalt looks like a terrific retailer. (This post would have been published 15 minutes earlier had I not grazed endlessly on the Seaside site!)
It turns out Meghan’s jacket is an older season piece.
UPDATE: The company has informed us that their Seasalt logo changed in 2016. They are not sure which season Meghan’s coat is from. We’re thinking that it may have been a jacket lent to Meghan or perhaps it was from a boutique who happened to have older stock still available. Either way this would explain why we had such a difficult time determining style jacket Meghan is wearing.
The jacket is no longer available, but the company does offer recommendations for similar pieces. These include (l to r): the Polperro, the Maenporth, the Seafolly, or the Janelle.
She was wearing her Outland Denim ‘Harriet’ jeans in black.
Meghan had on a pair of Stella McCartney Stan Smith sneakers.
UPDATE: With thanks to Elizabeth of Meghan’s Fashion, it looks like Meghan’s scarf was by Loro Piana.
The piece is called the Mélange Cashmere-Silk Scarf ($249); now sold out, this was sold as a menswear item. It measures 68″ x 20″ and is a 60/40 blend of cashmere/silk. The color is called Emerald, a mix of light green, teal and charcoal.
We expect to see the Duke and Duchess shortly when they visit Courtenay Creative for “an event celebrating the city’s thriving creative arts scene.”
This 2-minute video from Radio New Zealand covers the Abel Tasman trip.
“From my wife, myself and our little bump, it’s a blessing to be here.”
Despite the rainy weather, Harry and Meghan visited Abel Tasman National Park today, where they learnt about local conservation projects #RoyalVisitNZ
Read more here: https://t.co/XS45sT7y0d pic.twitter.com/fnacQDBVGC
— RNZ (@radionz) October 29, 2018
Never heard of Seasalt but now I really want a raincoat of theirs! Her scarf is also really great. She does casual wear really well.
Aww, you can really see how thrilled he is in that clip – such an exciting time for them. She looks great in casual wear, and that scarf is such a pretty color.
The Abel Tasman walk is stunning and can highly recommend. Very servicable outfit
They have both done fantastically on this tour, they are going to make a great team in years to come just as they are doing now.
This outfit is perfect for the occasion and it is good to see Meghan in comfortable and flat shoes. The scarf adds a lovely touch to an otherwise rather mundane outfit. Several photos show there is something in red and white stripes near Meghan’s neck. Not sure if it is part of the hood, or something on underneath, but it is out of step with the navy and green
I absolutely love Seasalt. I discovered them on a trip to Cornwall and was so very pleased when they began to ship to the US.
I was just delighted to see Meghan give the thumbs-up to the Seasalt label, some of us have been shopping there for years! I confess I don’t have any of their clearly superior rainwear as I myself get too distracted by all the original and classy prints they do, not to mention the great quality of the cotton. They’re one of the last retail outposts where I can still find a genuinely 100 per cent pure cotton tee.
I like the thought of Meghan raiding the menswear department for her scarf which is such an attractive subdued pattern and texture. It’s a lovely colour on her.
I love the picture of the tui bird. I was birding in New Zealand when I was there and some of those indigenous species are just extraordinary. A happy reminder of a terrific trip. This looks like a great wildlife excursion for Harry and Meghan
That scarf makes the outfit. Absolutely gorgeous!
this outfit is nice – serviceable but obviously not very exciting, but what can we expect for a rainy walk on the beach, ha. I do LOVE that scarf though. Its gorgeous.
It’s remarkable but the colors of Meghan and Harry’s casual rain outfits for Abel Tasman National Park mirror those of the tui bird photograph Susan posted…blues, emeralds, greys, black, navy… and then Meghan and Harry receive a gift of a painting of three tuis!
I tried to find online a photo of the actual painting by the Takaka artist Robin Slow but only came up with the one you show of the back of the canvas. I did look at other work by the artist online and it is rugged and magical just like the natural and adventurous habitat of the National Park.
Susan, if you locate a photo of the painting presented to Meghan and Harry would you please “reply” the link? Thank you!
Harry is just so darn charming and sweet. I can’t wait to see him as a father. Meghan looks happy and relaxed despite the weather, and I love the colors in the scarf which frame her face nicely and give her some color.