The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have arrived in New Zealand for an official tour which will take them to Auckland, Waitangi and Christchurch.

Charles and Camilla touched down at the New Zealand Royal Air Force base Whenuapai – Maori for “good land” – and were greeted by Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy and the Deputy Mayor of Auckland Bill Cashmore.

Whenuapai is the largest NZRAF air base in the country, with more than 1,000 personnel.

It is the couple’s third visit to the country, after travelling in 2012 to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and again in 2015.

The first engagements of the tour will take place on Monday in Auckland, and the prince and duchess will travel on to the Solomon Islands after the New Zealand leg is completed.

Last week, Charles spent his 71st birthday in Mumbai, where he received a gift featuring the stories of Hindu deity Krishna, told with tiny figures in three bonsai gardens.