Prince William Receives Traditional Maori Welcome From NZ PM Jacinda Ardern; Duke of Cambridge Attends Anzac Day Service

Britain's Prince William is currently on a two-day visit to New Zealand to commemorate wartime soldiers and survivors of Christchurch mosque attacks which happened during last month. The Duke of Cambridge was welcomed with a traditional Maori greeting called hongi from New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Adorable pictures of the two influential leaders performing hongi by pressing their noses and foreheads together are being shared widely on social media. Hongi is the traditional meetings among Māori people. The pressing of noses shows the tradition of sharing the breath of life which considers having come directly from the Gods. Ahead Of Prince Louis' First Birthday, Prince Williams And Kate Middleton Shared His Cute Unseen Pics On Instagram!

Prince William's tour began with a service for Anzac Day in Auckland, which is a national day of remembrance in New Zealand and Australia for those "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served". It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) in World War One. Last month, a lone gunman shot 50 people dead at two Christchurch mosques. William is visiting New Zealand on behalf of Queen Elizabeth at the request of Ardern.

Video of Prince William at Auckland Museum Anzac Day service:

Prince William paid a visit to a little girl who was injured in the horrific attack. He met five-year-old Alen Alsati at the Starship Children's Hospital on Thursday. Kensington Palace has released a video of the visit.

Watch the video below:

Ardern said the Prince's visit would "bring comfort" as the Duke had a "close connection" with New Zealand and Christchurch in particular. She added saying, "His visit provides the opportunity to pay tribute to those affected by the mosque terrorist attacks and show support to the local and national community." William described the attacks as a "cruel nightmare" and offered prayers for the Christchurch community.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2019 02:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).