The pupils of tiny Halfmoon Bay School on Stewart Island are excitedly preparing for an important guest on Monday morning - Prince Harry.
The school rock band was rehearsing two songs to perform for him and the junior class and the Rakiura Rugrats preschool group had made crowns, principal Kath Johnson said yesterday.
''Everyone's really excited.''
The prince will spend about 24 hours on Stewart Island during an eight-day tour of New Zealand. He arrives in Wellington today.
The pupils had had a lesson on ''who's who in the Royal Family'', including discussing the birth last week of Prince Harry's niece, Princess Charlotte.
But they were more interested in Harry's military exploits than the new baby, she said.
''We will have 24 pupils on Monday, 18 of them boys. They're most interested in Harry being a helicopter pilot and talking to him about that.''
It would be a special day for the school's newest pupil - another boy - who turns 5 today and would have his first day at school on Monday, she said.
Ms Johnson would not give too much away about what was planned during the visit, but said the six-member rock band was looking forward to performing at a school assembly.
''I think it will be pretty cool for them in the future to be able to say they once played for Prince Harry.''
He flies into Invercargill Airport tomorrow morning and will attend a short welcoming reception at the airport hosted by Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt before flying to the island.
He is understood to be staying at the upmarket Stewart Island Lodge, a six-room bed and breakfast establishment owned by tourism company Real Journeys. The lodge overlooks the island's main township of Halfmoon Bay.
Real Journeys corporate communications manager Tsehai Tiffin would not say yesterday whether Prince Harry was staying there.
''We never reveal the identity of any of our guests.''
Prince Harry's first stop on the island will be the Halfmoon Bay Community Centre where he will meet the locals. Later,
he will visit the Ulva Island bird sanctuary.
Southland Mayor Gary Tong said residents would be ''laying it on'' at the community centre, showing off local produce and wares including kai moana (seafood). Local volunteer groups such as Search and Rescue would also be manning displays and hoping to have an opportunity to chat to the royal visitor.
The prince had private time later in the day and Mr Tong said he was not sure what he would be doing as the plans were being kept secret.
''It would have been nice to take him fishing or kiwi spotting or something, but I won't be able to do that.''
''I think the cribs and baches will be as full as they have ever been. Everyone wants to catch up with Harry.''
The 400 or so accommodation beds available on the island were booked on Sunday night, Bay Motel manager Pip Leask said.
''As soon as the dates for his visit were announced rooms were snapped up.''
Many had been booked for media representatives from New Zealand, Australia and Britain.
Ms Leak said everyone was talking about whether they would see Harry walking around Halfmoon Bay.
With less than 30km of roads on the island in total and the village being so small, it was a ''pretty safe bet he would be walking somewhere'', she said.
