Ngāti Tūpoho in Whanganui will be welcoming Prince Harry with an official pōwhiri at Pūtiki marae this morning on his visit to the river city.
Whanganui River Photo: 123RF
The hapū is no stranger to hosting the royal family, with Harry's uncle Prince Edward having taught at Whanganui Collegiate in the 1980s.
Adrian Patu, a project worker helping to restore the Whanganui War Memorial, said the plan was that after the welcome at Pūtiki Marae, Prince Harry will sail on a waka up the Whanganui River and disembark at the rowing club opposite Pākaitore where the memorial is situated.
"[Prince Harry] is welcomed at Pūtiki and spends some time there meeting members of the tribe, he'll be coming up on the waka, and just actually getting off the river at the Union Boat Club, the rowing club.
"It was originally suggested that he might be calling in to the memorial, but actually that's not the case."
Mr Te Patu said people in the community were very impressed that Prince Harry had chosen Whanganui to visit, because there was a strong link between the Royal family and the rohe.