Rotorua all abuzz with the royal visit of Harry and Meghan

People cheered and children sat on shoulders in an effort to get a glimpse of Prince Harry and stay with the audience during their Rotorua visit.

The royal couple's visit on Wednesday was the last stop on their four-day New Zealand tour.

A small crowd gathered to see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they arrived at Rotorua Airport in the morning.

The couple were then taken over from their first engagement, an intimate visit to the historic St Faith's Church.

They were met by local leaders, who gifted them each korowai cloak, and prepared them for the traditional pōhiri to come.

More than 1000 people gathered at Te Papaiouru Marae in Ohinemutu to watch the welcome by Te Arawa.

After lunch, the couple headed to Rainbow Springs where they went behind the scenes of the kiwi hatchery.

The chicks, from Coromandel and Taranaki, Koha (meaning gift) and Tihei, from the Maori saying 'Tihei Mauriora' meaning 'the sneeze of life'.

Harry and Meghan greet and talk to people at the Government Gardens.

The final stop for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was the Redwoods and the Treewalk, where they were greeted by a crowd of mountain bikers, dog walkers and Halloween-costumed children.

Rotorua hairdresser Sarah Pearson was sporting the British flag in the government gardens, including painted on her face.

She says it is great the couple visited Rotorua because everything in the city depicts New Zealand and Māori culture.

Sarah says she is a big fan of Prince Harry and Prince William.

"I was born in St. Mary's Hospital, where they were born in London."

She would have had the chance to talk to Prince Harry, she would like to come back to the salon and have a haircut, and tell him about it.

"It's cool, I've watched him grow up while I was living in England and now he's in my hometown."

The Government Gardens was the best place for them because it was beautiful, she says.

Rotorua's Victoria Cooper says she has always wanted to see the royal couple ever since she saw them on television.

"I'm so ecstatic and excited I can not wait to get my camera clicking."

She said it was so bad that they were giving their speeches and they were very happy about their little bump.

Anna Solich travels over the road with the family for the occasion.

She said she went to see Prince William and Kate in Cambridge with her children, Maggie, 6, and Archie, 8, a few years ago, and it was something the children still talk about.

"It was such a big impact on them, and being British I thought it was great for these two to be part of this."