Te Arikinui Meets British Monarch in First Visit Since 2024 Coronation

The meeting with the British monarch was Te Arikinui's first since she became queen in 2024, following the death of her father, Kiingi Tuheitia. The visit marks a near 200-year relationship between the indigenous peoples of New Zealand and the crown, formalised in the Treaty of Waitangi, one of New Zealand's founding documents. A spokesperson for the queen says the two discussed the former king's death in what was a "heartfelt" discussion, as well as the strengthening of their relationship. In a post on Instagram, Prince William acknowledged the visit, saying, "it was a pleasure to meet with the Queen." A statement released after the meeting from the Kīngitanga said the Māori queen discussed a range of global topics with Prince William. "Te Arikinui affirmed her belief in the power of indigenous knowledge and intergenerational stewardship to help solve the world's environmental and social challenges." Te Arikinui was crowned in 2024 after the death of her father - becoming only the second Māori queen, the first being her grandmother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu. The Māori monarchy dates back to the 19th Century, when different Māori tribes decided to create a unifying figure similar to that of a European monarch in order to try to prevent the widespread loss of land to New Zealand's British colonisers and to preserve Māori culture. It is a largely ceremonial and symbolic role.