Buckingham Palace witnessed an extraordinary royal moment this week as New Zealand’s Māori Queen, Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō, met King Charles III during a landmark visit to London that is now drawing attention across the Commonwealth.
The audience marked the first official Buckingham Palace meeting between the British monarch and the young Māori Queen since she ascended the Kīngitanga throne in 2024 following her father King Tūheitia's death. At just 29, she has quickly become one of the world's most closely watched Indigenous leaders, and her appearance alongside King Charles has sparked major interest in both New Zealand and the UK.
