Back in 1983, I was invited as the "Head Girl" (although we didn't officially have one) in order to meet with his parents Princess Diana and Prince Charles and Prince William (before he was born) on the grounds of Government House in Auckland. I even got to shake her hand (twice) and that left an impression on me with a couple of photos that I took of them.
Today, it was raining like crazy and the school was under tight security and I just slipped in before 8.30 am. The children in the junior school had made flags and some classes were rained out standing along the roadside leading up to the school in hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
When he finally arrived we were ushered into the school hall (where I used to love to play badminton) after a quick welcome by the campus director and he had the opportunity to various Pasifika dancing by a small group of Samoan, Tongan and Cook Islands dancers. He also got the opportunity to give out a few of the school academic and citizenship prizes to students which was pretty good as well.
The beautiful lei he is wearing in the pic above is a Tongan design of fresh flowers and thankfully they gave us all one as we sat on the Manuhiri side (although we - on the Board weren't really visitors).
So all in all, it was pretty special for the students of the school. I think it particularly reminded me of how he did seem very personable and quite humble in acknowledging that there were children standing in the rain, waiting for him when they were getting quite wet. It was too bad that he didn't get to address the school directly but I guess he can't be speaking at every place he goes too as that it could get quite demanding.
Today, it reminds me to reflect that as a Christian, we all are pretty special and all sons and daughters of the ultimate king which makes us princes and princesses, it's just that sometimes we just don't know it or easily forget about it...
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