Prince William has arrived at Christchurch Thursday, his first stop on his Royal tour of disaster-hit areas in New Zealand and Australia - - two countries that are both former British colonies and members of the Commonwealth, and now have remained under Queen Elizabeth as their official head of state.

The Prince arrived at New Zealand’s largest city at around 12:20pm (23:20 GMT Wednesday). He was greeted by a crowd of 100. The Agence France Presse said the Royal Prince had immediately left to visit the Christchurch “red zone’, the area where the 6-9- magnitude quake had worst-hit leaving its 180 people dead and thousands others displaced as the city was brought down into rubbles.

The Prince was greeted by Christchurch mayor, Bob Parker as he arrived at the Art Gallery in the city. He is scheduled to visit Greymouth found on the South Island’s West Coast. The Prince who came without his future bride, Kate Middleton will be meeting with officials, rescue workers and family and friends of 29 miners who died last year following a gas explosion that tore through the Pike River colliery.

Representing Queen Elizabeth, the Prince will be in New Zealand until March 19 before he heads to Australia. His one-week visit to the two former British colonies came as a result of invitations from each country's respective heads of state before the Royal Wedding on April 29.

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