The day before his Coronation in May 2023, King Charles III received the Māori King, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, at Buckingham Palace. Kiingi Tuheitia presented him with the regalia of the Order of King Pootatau Te, the highest honour in the Kingitanga Royal Orders. It is reserved for monarchs. He also gave the king an example of Māori taonga (treasure) in the form of a mere (club) made by Jason Nathan, who belongs to the Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Whātua iwi. The mere’s name is He Kura Pounamu, which translates as ‘a prized treasure’. These gifts were intended as an expression of the long-standing relationship between the two kingdoms.

Presented to King Charles III by the Māori King, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, 5 May 2023.