Prince William Will Travel To New Zealand To Pay Tribute To The Victims Of The Attack In Christchurch

Prince William will visit New Zealand next month to honor the victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings, Kensington Palace announced this evening.

The trip will take place in late April, and is being made at the request of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, and on behalf of the Queen, who serves as monarch of the island nation.

Per Kensington Palace, over the course of the trip, "the Duke will meet with those affected by the attack and will pay tribute to the extraordinary compassion and solidarity that the people of New Zealand have displayed in recent weeks."

At this point, it is unclear how long the visit is expected to be, and Prince William could very well be in New Zealand when his new niece or nephew arrives. He previously visited the country with his wife Kate and son George during a tour of New Zealand and Australia in 2014.

Following the Christchurch attack on March 15, several members of the royal family, including the Queen and the Prince of Wales, sent their condolences to the families and victims of the shootings.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge issued a joint statement alongside the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, affirming that "no person should ever have to fear attending a sacred place of worship."

They closed the letter with: "We send our thoughts and prayers to everyone in New Zealand today," and "Kia Kaha," a Māori phrase which roughly translates to "stay strong."

As Harry and Meghan were the royals who had most recently visited New Zealand, they also visited New Zealand House to both pay tribute to the victims and to sign a book of condolence.

This article originally appeared on Town&Country. 

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