Royals Down Under! Prince William and wife Kate Middleton have announced their plans to tour Australia and New Zealand for about three weeks in mid-April.
Adding to the overseas fun (and photo pops!), the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are bringing along their 7-month-old son Prince George. The third in line to the throne will have one nanny to accompany his parents on their voyage, and George is expected to attend several of the couple's engagements dependent upon his mood.
Middleton is also bringing along her own private hairdresser and is expected to have approximately 32 outfit changes.
The royal family will start their tour in New Zealand on April 7, visiting seven of the island country's cities including Wellington, Blenheim, Auckland, Hamilton and Cambridge, Dunedin, Queenstown, and Christchurch. On April 16, they will move on to Australia, visiting six cities including Sydney, Blue Mountains, Brisbane, Uluru, Adelaide, and Canberra.
Private secretary to the Duke of Cambridge, Miguel Head, revealed more about the trip in a press conference on March 2.
"The Duchess has never visited either country, so this is a chance for her to meet the people of New Zealand and Australia for the first time," Head said. "The Duke last visited New Zealand in March 2011, shortly after the devastating earthquake in Christchurch. During the same visit, he also went to Victoria and Queensland in Australia, which had been very badly affected by natural disasters. So, for the couple, this visit represents a wonderful opportunity on the one hand for The Duke to deepen his personal relationship with, and admiration for, New Zealand and Australia; and on the other, for the Duchess to experience some of the extraordinary warmth and hospitality for which the people of both countries are renowned the world over."
The couple will have a total of 48 engagements, including George's first — a reception at the Government House in Wellington. Some of the Duke and Duchess' fun outings will include a 50-mile-per-hour white water ride in Queenstown and a race each in yachts across Auckland Harbour in New Zealand.
Queen Elizabeth granted special permission for William and Prince George to travel together since direct heirs to the throne don't normally fly together.
Apart from a brief private family vacation to the West Indies island of Mustique in late January 2014, Prince George hasn't been seen outside of London since his October 2013 christening. This trip will put the adorable baby back in the spotlight. ?
