Welcome Sweet Peace: Returning home after the Great War
The Prince of Wales visits New Zealand
New Zealand Government Tourist Department, The Prince of Wales inspecting troops, Auckland, April 1920, Black and white original negative, Photographic Archive, Alexander Turnbull Library
The Prince of Wales visits New Zealand
Edward, HRH the Prince of Wales, arrived in Auckland aboard the battle cruiser HMS Renown on 24 April 1920. In 29 days, the Prince visited 40 places between Auckland and Invercargill.
The tour was extremely popular. The Prince's duties involved meeting returned troops, visiting soldiers' hospitals, attending children's parades, sports events, and speaking at formal engagements. In his correspondence to Freda Dudley Ward, his mistress in London, the Prince shared his private thoughts of the tour. After attending an official function at Auckland Town Hall he wrote, 'New Zealand does seem quite the model dominion that one has always heard it to be & their loyalty is quite amazing.'
After arriving in Wellington he noted that, 'We had a marvellous welcome here in the capital of the Dominion & it took us 50 minutes to motor from the station to Government House & the crowds were so dense that I had to stand up in the car the whole way!!'
Before leaving New Zealand, the Prince paid tribute to the wartime spirit of New Zealand in sending its loved ones away to the front, and to the gallant men who did not return.
Permission of the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga O Aotearoa, must be obtained before any reuse of this image
