King Charles meets with New Zealand's Māori Queen at Buckingham Palace

Te Arikinui Kuini Nga Wai hono i te po, New Zealand's Māori Queen, has held her inaugural meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace since ascending to the throne.

The encounter represents a significant moment in the nearly two-century-long relationship between Māori peoples and the British crown.

The connection was formally established through the Treaty of Waitangi, which stands as one of New Zealand's foundational documents.

Te Arikinui assumed her role in 2024 following the passing of her father, Kiingi Tuheitia, making this week's royal audience her first with the British monarch as Queen.

A spokesperson for the Māori queen described the conversation between the two monarchs as "heartfelt," with discussions touching on the death of the former king and efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.

Prior to the Buckingham Palace meeting which took place on Wednesday, Te Arikinui was received by Prince William at Windsor Castle earlier this week.

The Prince of Wales shared his appreciation for the visit on Instagram, stating, "it was a pleasure to meet with the Queen."

According to a Kīngitanga statement, the Māori Queen engaged with Prince William on various international matters, expressing her conviction that "indigenous knowledge and intergenerational stewardship" could address pressing environmental and social challenges worldwide.

"Whether at home or on the world stage, Te Arikinui's leadership is about creating pathways for our people, particularly our rangathi [Māori youth] to thrive," said Rahui Papa, spokesperson for the Kiingitanga, the Māori monarchy.

The Māori monarchy traces its roots to the 1800s, when various tribes established a unifying figurehead modelled on European royalty to combat widespread land dispossession by British colonisers and safeguard their cultural heritage.

The position remains primarily ceremonial and symbolic in nature.

Te Arikinui holds the distinction of being just the second woman to occupy the Māori throne, following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, who served as the first female monarch of the Kīngitanga movement.

She is the sole daughter and youngest offspring of the late Māori king Tūheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII.

The Queen previously visited the British capital in June 2022, when she met King Charles to foster closer relations between the two royal houses.

During that trip, she spoke candidly about her aspirations: "I'll be honest, my greatest desire of all is for all Māori land to be returned to Māori."

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