Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were given a fond welcome yesterday as they arrived in Papua New Guinea to begin a two-week tour to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The Prince and his wife were draped with garlands of flowers and cheered by crowds when they stepped off their plane in the capital, Port Moresby.
They were greeted by schoolchildren in tribal dress who performed a hiri dance, traditionally used to welcome traders to a village.
Charles and Camilla were presented with garlands at the bottom of the aeroplane steps by Jessie David, part of a group of local schoolchildren performing a hiri dance in traditional dress
Teenage dancer Jessie David, wearing only a leaf skirt, body paint and a headdress made of bird of paradise feathers, was given the honour of placing orchid garlands on the shoulders of the Royals.
Prince Charles is known as the Queen’s ‘pikinini’ in the pidgin English spoken in the Pacific nation. The Queen is known as ‘Missis Kwin’ and ‘Mama belong big family’. This is Prince Charles’s fourth trip to Papua New Guinea. He first visited in 1966.
The Royal couple will today attend a church service in a sports stadium with a congregation of hundreds. They will spend three days in Papua New Guinea before travelling to Australia, and will wrap up their trip in New Zealand, where Charles will celebrate his 64th birthday on November 14.
That visit will include a traditional Maori welcome, which involves the hongi, or pressing of noses, and the couple will inspect costumes from the new Peter Jackson film, The Hobbit.
Prince Charles and Camilla arrived in Papua New Guinea today on the first leg of their Diamond Jubilee Tour on behalf of the Queen
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The royal couple looked relaxed after their long flight from the UK via Singapore and smiled after being presented with colourful garlands
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arrived on a Royal Australian Air Force plane at Jackson's International Airport in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea today on the first leg of their Diamond Jubilee tour
At one end of the red carpet Charles and Camilla met Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, his wife Lynda Babao and other senior dignitaries.
At the other end, local schoolchildren in tribal dress performed a hiri dance - used to welcome traders to a village.
Citizens of Papua New Guinea speak more than 800 languages between them, with everyday communication conducted through English and Tok Pisin - a form of Melanesan Pidgin English.
After the greetings on the red carpet the Prince stood to attention for the British and Papua New Guinea national anthems, played by a military band, as 2,000 well wishers on a nearby hill watched proceedings at Jacksons International Airport.
Two rows of soldiers from the Papua New Guinea defence force lined up in front of the royals to form a guard of honour.
Their commander Brigadier General Francis Agwi escorted the Prince as he passed down the ranks inspecting the servicemen, stopping briefly to chat to some of them.
The Brigadier General was placed under house arrest by soldiers under his command earlier this year during an abortive coup that attempted to return former prime minister Sir Michael Somare back to power.
Prince Charles inspects the honour guard after arriving in Port Moresby on a three-day tour of Papua New Guinea
Prince Charles is greeted by Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and his wife Lynda May Babao at Jackson's International Airport
Later Charles was invested with the insignia of a Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu - an honour which carries the title of chief - by Governor General Sir Michael Ogio at the Airways Hotel.
The Order of Logohu - the Motuan tribe's word for the bird of paradise - is part of a new honours system introduced in 2005, the nation's 30th anniversary year, which recognises the high achievement of individuals.
Camilla was presented with the insignia of a Companion of the Order of the Star of Melanesia and the royal couple also received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee commemorative medal.
Papua New Guinea's Governor General Sir Michael Ogio presents Charles with the Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu medal
Camilla also received an honour, being presented with the Grand Companion of the Order of the Star of Melanesia by Governor General Sir Michael Ogio
Charles joked to the Governor General that it was 'very nice arriving when it wasn't too hot, there was a nice breeze'.
The Governor General's wife Esmie is a former hotel housekeeping maid from the Solomon Islands who married the Queen's representative last year in what was billed as the first state wedding in Papua New Guinea's history.
The couples posed together for a picture before retiring for the night.
The Prince and Duchess's itinerary begins tomorrow with them attending a traditional Sunday church service in a sports stadium with a congregation of hundreds.
Charles is colonel-in-chief of the Royal Pacific Islands Regiment and will present the unit with new colours before the royals watch a cultural performance in the arena.
Charles and Camilla posed with Papua New Guinea's Governor General, Sir Michael Ogio and Lady Ogio after receiving their honours
Later in the day the Prince and Duchess will travel to the village of Boera where they will be shown elements of rural life including the products of traditional arts and crafts before meeting elders from local communities.
In the evening a state dinner will be staged in their honour hosted by the Governor General and his wife.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2227246/Diamond-Jubilee-Tour-2012-Prince-Charles-Camilla-touch-Papua-New-Guinea.html#ixzz2BDdLoioC
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