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Kiwi troops perform stirring haka for Prince and Princess of Wales

New Zealand armed forces have performed the haka for the Prince and Princess of Wales during a visit to a military base south-west of London.

Prince William and Princess Catherine were at Army Training Centre Pirbright today where the Kiwis gave a stirring version of the Māori cultural dance.

The royal couple were there to speak with Commonwealth troops who will support with the ceremonies at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

The Prince and Princess spoke with Brigadier Grant Mason, the Head of Australian Defence Staff in London and then met with 28 members of the Australian Defence Force.

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New Zealand troops perform a "Haka" for Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales.The Princess of Wales at the Army Training Centre (ATC) Pirbright in Guildford, Surrey, meeting troops from the Commonwealth who have been deployed to the UK to take part in the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Where the Australian troops come from

  • Royal Australian Artillery
  • Royal Australian Engineers
  • Royal Australian Ordinance Corps
  • Royal Australian Infantry
  • Royal Australian Air Force Reserves
  • Royal Australian Navy

The Prince and Princess also met with armed forces from New Zealand and Canada.

The Commonwealth troops are staying at Pirbright ahead of the funeral.

The same facility was used for defence members involved in The Duke of Edinburgh's funeral and Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee.

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Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales meet with military personnel during a visit to Army Training Centre Pirbright.

The link between the Queen and the Australian troops

The late monarch had the following involvement with the contingents:

Royal Australian Navy (RAN): The first campaign medal featuring Her Majesty The Queen's effigy was issued in 1953 on the Korean War Medal. HMAS Vengeance escorted the Royal Yacht though Australian waters during the Queen's first visit in 1954. In 1986, the Queen honoured the RAN's 75th birthday by dedicating its national memorial in Canberra.

The aircraft carrier HMAS Vengeance. (Photo by Gordon Herbert Short/Fairfax Media).

Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery: The Queen was appointed Colonel-in-Chief in 1953.

Royal Australian Army Ordinance Corps: The Queen was appointed Colonel-in-Chief in 1953. Her Majesty chose the design for a Sovereign's Banner for the Corps as part of her Silver Jubilee in 1977.

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FILE - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh travel in a carriage during celebrations for the Silver Jubilee in London, June 7 1977. Queen Elizabeth II, Britains longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96. Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a statement on Thursday Sept. 8, 2022 (AP Photo, File)

Royal Australian Engineers: The Queen assumed the role of Colonel-in-Chief in 1953. The Corps was granted a Sovereign's Banner during the Queen's Silver Jubilee. One tradition was the Corps always presented the Queen with a dozen roses on her visits to Australia.

Royal Australian Infantry: Her Majesty The Queen was appointed Colonel-in-Chief in 1953.

Royal Australian Air Force Reserve: Her Majesty The Queen was Air Commodore-in-Chief.