Royal Tour: Tonga rolls out the red carpet for Harry and Meghan

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex received a royal welcome upon their arrival in the Tongan nation of the South Pacific.

They were greeted by a Tongan princess on their arrival, as well as by hundreds of children – who were given a day off to encourage the arrival of the couple.

An encounter with the King and Queen of Tonga was followed by a traditional dance and song at one evening.

Meghan opted for the colors of the Tongan flag when she came dressed in a red dress before going to white.

Some observers quickly noticed that she had forgotten to remove the label from her red dress.

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Schoolchildren walked the streets of the airport to the capital Nuku 'alofa, waving flags and applauding when the royal convoy made the 40-minute ride.

Prince Harry and Meghan attended a private audience with King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau at the Consular House before an evening reception and dinner.

When the royal couple took part in the event, a group playing John Lennon's film Imagine ensured their serenade.

In a speech, the Duke said that going to Tonga was like visiting "an extended family".

He said: "My grandparents have visited many times and your Majesties have often visited my family over the years."

He also read a message from his grandmother, the queen, who spoke of the "close relationship" between the royal families.

The prince signed his speech with "malo & aupito", the tongan for "thank you very much".

Tonga is the last leg of the couple's flash tour, which has already visited Australia, where Harry opened the Invictus Games and Fiji.

Future parents will return to Australia on Friday before finishing their 16-day tour of New Zealand.

Earlier in the day, before leaving Fiji, the Duke unveiled the statue of a largely unknown Anglo-Fijian war hero, who died in action in 1972.