Rangatira to Royalty

The author was fortunate to again be granted permission to visit the Royal Archives in Windsor Castle, where he viewed correspondence and other documentation (from the King's Library) regarding the 1863 visit to England by a delegation of Maori chiefs, where they were given an audience with Queen Victoria, at Osborne House, and where they gifted Her Majesty with a kaitaka and a korowai (two types of traditional Maori cloaks). As part of this same kaupapa rangahau (research project), the author also visited Osborne House, where he examined the kaitaka gifted to Queen Victoria; and he also visited Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, where he examined a kakahu (cloak) which one of these chiefs, Kamariera Te Hau Takiri Wharepapa gifted to the Mayor of Bristol in 1863.

The author had previously visited the Royal Archives, Windsor Castle (October 2019), where he viewed documents (invoices and receipts) regarding the 1820 visit to England by Hongi Hika; where Hongi and Waikato were granted an audience with King George IV. *This previous visit provided the author with the evidence required to stop the auction of a musket which was claimed to be the one King George gifted Hongi during their meeting.

The author would like to acknowledge and thank Julie Crocker - Head Archivist, Royal Archives, for her tautoko (support/assistance) and manaakitanga (hospitality) during his visit, and the previous Head Archivist, Dr Oliver Walton, for same.