A "known anti-royalist" will face court this morning charged with preparing to assault the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall during the couple's tour of Auckland yesterday.
Police arrested a 74-year-old Mangere man near Britomart about 12.40pm yesterday, shortly before Prince Charles and his wife Camilla arrived in downtown Auckland to meet thousands who had gathered in the rain.
Police say the man is a known anti-royalist who did not get near either of the royals before he was arrested.
He was kept in custody overnight and is to appear in Auckland District Court today.
TVNZ reports that the man was arrested after allegedly being caught on CCTV with an item, which police would not name.
A family member of the charged man told TVNZ that police had tried to contact the man during the morning but he had already left home.
