Royal visit: Monday's itinerary takes them to a capital cafe, and the bush

Monday, 29 October 2018

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex met New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on the first day of their visit to the country.

Monday is day two of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's tour of New Zealand, and they'll be ticking off the North and South Islands in the matter of a few hours.

Prince Harry and Meghan will kick off the day with a morning visit to iconic Wellington eatery Maranui Cafe at 10am to discuss mental health projects operating around the country, with an emphasis on youth wellbeing.

The cafe will be putting on a special pregnancy-friendly menu for the occasion.

Next, they'll then pop across Cook Strait for a bush walk in Abel Tasman National Park and barbecue. They'll also plant a tree, as royals are wont to do.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan greet royal watchers at Pukeahu Park on Sunday.

* Dudding's royal diary, day 1: Royal Arrival

* Meghan and Harry's Abel Tasman details kept under wraps

* Meghan Markle uses te reo in speech about women's suffrage**

Maranui Cafe and co-owner Bronwyn Kelly will host the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Monday.

They are due to be flown into the national park famed for its golden beaches and native bush walks at noon.

The Department of Internal Affairs is tight-lipped about the royal couple's exact destination, but Totaranui beach, at the northern end of the park, appears to be the main contender.

Tourism operators have been asked to steer clear of the area, and bookings are unavailable at the DOC campsite along the beach. That visit will end about 2.30pm.

Back in the capital in the evening, the couple will face the ghouls and goblins of newly opened Courtenay Creative at about 6pm.

They'll meet young artists eager to display their talent in fantasy horror makeup, costume and virtual reality.

Unfortunately, the forecast for Wellington and Abel Tasman isn't looking great.

MetService's outlook for the Nelson region reads: 'Periods of rain with heavy falls. Possible thunderstorms and hail inland this afternoon and evening.'

In Wellington, the forecast says: 'Often cloudy. Light southerlies and a few showers from afternoon.'

Monday's list of engagements is shorter than Sunday's - three as compared to six the day before - but there's a lot more travel involved.

They'll then head to Auckland for an event on Tuesday morning.