House of Windsor

Part 11

We ordered some warm drinks from Starbucks. I ordered a Starbucks Macchiato. While we had a break, I thought about everyone who was traveling with us. There is our private area at the back but between there and the cockpit, there was an area where the people travelling with us, sat. 

We've got an entourage of 11 people on the plane with us. For starters Maria is travelling with us. Danielle and Shannon are travelling with us, as our hairdressers and make-up artists. William's press secretary Miguel Head and Kate's private secretary Rebecca Deacon, are coming too. 

At 6:25am, we left the suite. I put on my blazer and we left into the hands of the media. Kate held George and William carried a few bits of carry on luggage. "You look great" Kate whispered to me. I smiled. "It's weird being around the media. In the centre of attention" I told her. Kate agreed. "I've been in it two years and I'm not used to it". 

We walked onto the runway and boarded our jet. It was the exact same as it was for the flight from London. I went into my private bedroom and I got into my joggers again. I took another nap as the plane departed at 8am. 

Our flight to New Zealand would take just over 3 hours. I slept for an hour and a half. At 9:30am, I go out my outfit for New Zealand. I put on the yellow dress and black blazer. I also looked at my jewellery, I wanted to wear the blue pearl brooch, but I had a blue dress planned for later in the week, so I would wait. 

I however took my replica Jackie Kennedy engagement bracelet and put it on, surely it would be fine. I sat my hat pin and pillbox hat on my bed. I went and joined Prince George. He once again smiled as I picked him up. "Aue George, e tika noa koe i te tamaiti cutest ake!". That is me practising my Maori, this translates as: "Oh George, you are just simply the cutest baby EVER!". 

And he is! Every time I see George my heart melts as he is just so cute. I was careful not to scratch him with my bracelet. I eventually joined Kate. She was getting kind of worked up. "Kate? Why are so worried. The people have been dying to see you for at least 2 years!" I told her. "It's just I'm so excited, I don't know how you're not bursting!" Kate told me. 

"I'm trying not to burst, especially during mid flight" I joked. "Dayna... you're about to spend three weeks in Oceania for crying out loud. How can you hold it in?!" Kate asked. I shrugged my shoulders. "I can hardly think about it, it's all so unreal". 

"Oh come on, surely you knew you'd be doing this, when you started living with us" Kate patted me. "It only occured to me the first time I met Lilibet" I then returned to my bedroom as the plane was due to land. I put on my pillbox hat with the hat pin. Our luggage, we were to leave in the private area, with our carry on luggage and it would be taken to our rooms in Government House. 

The plane touched down. I didn't dare look out the window. We stood as the door opened. Kate held George and squeezed my hand. "Here we go!" She whispered. 

Out we stepped. The crowd uproared and everyone was cheering. The paparazzi were going crazy. There was a group of people speaking fluent Maori and they were chanting: 

Nau mai ki Aotearoa William! 

Nau mai ki Aotearoa Kate! 

Nau mai ki Aotearoa Dayna!

I mean they were shouting for me! Kate was right! The people of New Zealand knew about me. I waved back and shouted "Kia ora a Aotearoa!". At this point, everyone heard what I was saying and the crowd cheered louder! I was shouting "Long live New Zealand!". "I told you, you would be popular" William smiled. 

When we landed at the military terminal, we got into the car and set off for Government House, where we were to do, our first engagement. The crowd, disappeared when we left. 

We arrived at Government House and our tour began. George watched everything from a window upstairs. We did tradition by rubbing noses with the local dignitary. I started speaking Maori with him:

"Ko te pai ki te whakatau ia koe" I smiled

"Aue, te whakawhetai ki a koutou. Ko pai ki te whakatau ia koe rawa ahau. Kia pehea te roa kua korero koe Maori?" 

"Aue, e rave rahi i teie nei marama. Ko ahau te pai?"

"Tino pai. Ko te pai o te reo ki te ako"

Translation:

"It is a pleasure to meet you"

"Oh thank you. I am pleased to meet you too. How long have you been speaking Maori?"

"Oh several months now. Am I good?"

"Very good. It is a good language to learn". 

It was such fun at Government House. We were treated to a Haka, which is a historic ancestral war cry dance. It did seem strange as the New Zealanders performing it were half naked, but I had to be friendly too them. And what's more, Kate and I were presented with bouquets of flowers. 

After the celebrations, we headed inside. We had a wonderful dinner, we didn't manage to start unpacking until 8pm! My room is gorgeous, it has a wonderful view of the lawn and I love it. I am right next door to Kate. William and George are across the hall. We however meet in William or Kate's bedroom every night to talk, before bedtime. 

I love it here!