NZ gifts for princess, Key sends congratulations

The new princess sleeps as she is carried in a car seat from St Mary's Hospital, in London....
The new princess sleeps as she is carried in a car seat from St Mary's Hospital, in London. REUTERS/John Stillwell/pool
The new princess will be sent a selection of woollen baby items from Hutt Valley company Stansborough, including a pelt teddy bear on behalf of New Zealand.

Prime Minister John Key announced the gift last night as he congratulated the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

"This is a very special time for any family. The Duke and Duchess are excellent parents and I am sure Prince George will adore his new little sister."

Stansborough produces textiles from its flock of unique Stansborough Greys. The company produces a range of accessories, home interiors, and baby wear and the yarn was also used for costumes in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies.

Key also announced a 21-gun salute would be fired at noon tomorrow from Point Jerningham, Wellington, to celebrate the birth.

The arrival of the fourth in line to the throne was greeted with joy from New Zealanders who met the royals during their tour here last year.

Among the wellwishers was former Plunket nurse Tina Syme, who led a playgroup at Wellington's Government House for the royals' first child, Prince George.

"I think they were delightful parents. They were proud and loved their little boy and I would wish them the very best for the future as their family grows," Syme said.

She said the playgroup gave the Duke and Duchess and Prince George the quintessential Kiwi experience where children played while parents shared the parenting journey.

Olympic rowing champion Joseph Sullivan, who met the couple during a stopover in Cambridge, described the Royal couple as "lovely, normal people".

"There was so much hype about meeting them and their arrival, but when it came down to it, a lot of the formalities were just that.

"They just wanted to have a chat to us about our lives and New Zealand.

"It was definitely a cool experience to meet them."

Meanwhile, a select few Kiwis will share the same birth date as the royal baby.

Eight babies were born at Auckland and Waikato hospitals yesterday and another three mums were in labour. At North Shore Hospital four women were in labour, and at Waitakere Hospital a further two were in labour.

One News London correspondent Jessica Mutch was at St Mary's. "It feels like you are witnessing a moment in history," she said.

- Herald on Sunday

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