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5 Mar, 2014

New Zealand’s Maori king snubs Prince William | GulfNews.com

Wellington: New Zealand’s Maori king has refused to meet Prince William during a royal tour next month, with his office saying on Tuesday he is “not a carnival act” for visiting dignitaries.

Prime Minister John Key expressed disappointment at the snub, which would have involved Prince William visiting King Tuheitia during his April 7-16 trip to New Zealand with wife Catherine and baby son Prince George.

But King Tuheitia’s office rejected the offer, arguing the 90 minutes allotted for the visit to the Maori leader’s base in the North Island was not long enough for proper protocols to be observed.

His representatives also slammed the “faceless bureaucrats” who organised the itinerary, accusing them of adopting an inflexible approach when dictating the terms of the proposed visit.

Read the rest: New Zealand’s Maori king snubs Prince William | GulfNews.com.