NZ celebrates royal baby with charity gift
9 May 2019 at 3:55 pm
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has marked the birth of a new royal baby in the UK by donating to two local child-focused charities.
The PM this week congratulated the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the arrival of their baby son on behalf of New Zealand, but noted the royal family could not accept material gifts.
Instead, Ardern said the NZ government would welcome the birth with donations to two NZ charities.
“The birth of a baby is such an incredibly exciting time. We wish them all the best, and very much look forward to seeing them all in New Zealand somewhere down the track,” Ardern said.
“We will be making a donation of $1,000 to Little Sprouts, which gives packs of baby and children items to families in need.
“We are also donating 10 trees to Trees for Kiwi Babies, for native tree planting events during Matariki 2019 (Māori new year). These donations will celebrate all New Zealand babies, as well as the new royal baby.”
Little Sprouts focuses on supporting disadvantaged families including those with premature or unwell babies, women escaping from domestic violence, refugee families, and those living in an ongoing poverty cycle.
Trees for Kiwi Babies encourages the planting of native trees by community groups, government agencies, schools and people in their own backyards. The charity will be urging new Kiwi parents and their babies to plant a tree during Matariki.
Meghan Markle gave birth to the boy on Monday, with the royal baby weighing in at 3.26kg.
On Wednesday, his name was revealed as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
In Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison also offered his “huge congratulations” to the couple on Twitter, while opposition leader Bill Shorten tweeted Prince Harry and Meghan were a “lovely couple and will make wonderful parents”.
Markle’s pregnancy was announced in October last year, while the couple were embarking on a tour of Australia and New Zealand.
