Military Welcome For Harry And Meghan In New Zealand

The royal couple lay a wreath at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park (Picture: Twitter/Kensington Palace).

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been paying their respects to New Zealand's war dead during the final leg of their Pacific tour.

Prince Harry and Meghan flew from Australia to Wellington, after closing the Invictus Games in Sydney, and were accompanied by several athletes from New Zealand.

The pair were welcomed with a mixture of military traditions when they arrived at the residence of the Governor-General.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force band played as the couple met senior Maori elders.

Prince Harry was then faced with a challenge by three Maori warriors before he was allowed into the building.

Carrying a spear, the chief warrior, New Zealand Army Warrant Officer (2nd class) Aaron Morrison, performed an elaborate dance and placed a dart onto the ground in front of Harry.

Keeping his eyes fixed on the three men, Harry knelt to pick up the dart and accepted their challenge.

The couple were then treated to the Haka - a traditional Maori war dance that is used on the battlefield as well as when groups come together in peace.

Prince Harry was then honoured with a 21-gun salute and inspected personnel from New Zealand's Army, Navy and Air Force.

Later the couple were greeted by hundreds of people who packed the grounds of the National War Memorial in Wellington.

Both Harry and Meghan laid fern fronds and a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior before being shown around the building.

The couple were also shown the UK War Memorial, which features the trunks of the Royal Oak and New Zealand's own Pohutakawa tree intertwining to form a single canopy. 

The memorial is covered with stained glass leaves and has the silhouette of a soldier between the branches.