Wellington
(AFP) - Britain's baby Prince George hosted his first official function on
Wednesday -- maintaining a regal calm on a play date with a group of New
Zealand toddlers, even as some of his tiny guests burst into tears.
Formalities were cast aside for the
occasion, with the eight-month-old prince crawling on the floor alongside 10
local babies while his proud parents looked on.
George, who was born on July 22 last year,
looked comfortable in the spotlight, playing with a purple
tambourine and
exercising his royal prerogative at one point to snatch a doll from the mouth
of a little girl.
Wellington photographer Grant Collinge,
whose eight-month-old Lukas was among the babies, said George showed an
inquisitive nature and it was clear he "was his own little man".
"He took control and went into the
middle of the circle of toys. He hunted out the biggest toy, propped himself up
and owned the place, basically," Collinge said.
The
babies mingled in a room with a large portrait of George's great-grandmother
Queen Elizabeth II looking down from the wall, with cushions and toys scattered
on the floor, including a giant blue teddy bear.
- Tears and joy -
There were tears from some of the other
infants as introductions were made but George, dressed in navy-blue dungaree
shorts and a white t-shirt, appeared calm even after dropping a toy to the
floor.
He was content to chew Kate's hair as his
mother gently bounced him in her arms while chatting to his playmates' parents,
pausing occasionally to wipe a spot of drool from the royal chin.
Kate wore a knee-length black and white
Tory Burch dress, while William opted for an open-necked blue shirt with the
sleeves rolled up as he sipped a soft drink.
Plunket
said the babies were all roughly the same age as George and were born to
first-time parents, just like William and Kate.
They
were also selected to reflect the diversity of New Zealand society, including
various ethnic groups and a same-sex couple.
Gay
dad Jared Mullen, father to nine-month-old Isabella, said the royal parents
were "lovely" and shared their tips on raising George.
"As
first time parents, in many ways they are in the same boat as all of us trying
to get used to it," he said.
"The
whole day’s been a privilege, just to share our babies with the Duke and
Duchess (of Cambridge) and to have them share their beautiful one with
us."
Prince
William and his wife Kate, carrying baby Prince George, arrive at the
international airport
The
prince's play time is expected to be his last public appearance in New Zealand,
where he will remain based in Wellington under the care of Spanish nanny Maria
Teresa Turrion Borrallo as his parents make day trips around the country.
The
New Zealand Republic lobby group said any of the 10 Kiwi babies at Government
House would be better qualified as the country's head of state than George, who
is third in line to the throne in both Britain and New Zealand.
"Baby
George is as cute as any other baby... but unfortunately he cannot be New
Zealand's future head of state, not unless he one day migrates to New Zealand
and becomes a citizen," it said.
But
opposition Labour party leader David Cunliffe, an avowed republican, said the
question of whether to retain the monarchy should be put on hold while the
royals were visiting.
"I
actually don't think that's an appropriate conversation for now," he said.
The
visit takes a sombre tone on Thursday, when William will lay a wreath at a war
memorial in the South Island town of Blenheim.
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