Governor-General welcomes news of the Royal baby

Governor-General welcomes news of the Royal baby

23 July 2013

The Governor-General, Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, has welcomed news of the birth of the Royal baby.

I am delighted to congratulate Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their first child.

The birth of a child is always a time to celebrate. Children are our greatest tāonga and represent all our hopes and dreams for the future. This birth will be welcomed by people worldwide, but especially in Commonwealth Realms such as New Zealand, where the great-grandmother of the new Prince, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, is our Head of State.

There is an adaptation of a well-known Māori proverb that summarises our feelings well: He aha te tāonga nui o te ao? He tamariki, he tamariki, he tamariki. What is the most important treasure in the world? The answer is: our children, our children, our children.

I’m sure I speak for everyone in New Zealand in saying that I look forward to the time when the Prince can come back to this country, and bring with him the Duchess and their new baby boy. In the meantime, as Governor-General, and on behalf of my wife Janine and all New Zealanders, I send our good wishes to the happy parents, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, and to their families, on the birth of the Royal baby.

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