| Brief Description |
This menu card is printed in blue ink on white satin with gold-bound tassels and four gilt-painted paper oak leaves in each corner. The menu is for a "Dejeuner In Honour of The Visit of His Royal Highness The Duke Of Edinburgh Given By His Worship The Mayor Of Christchurch John Anderson Esq." John Anderson was Mayor of Christchurch from 1868-1869. The menu lists many meats and poultry to be served plus a large range of desserts and wines.
Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh, was the first royal visitor to New Zealand, arriving in Wellington on 11 April 1869 as Captain of HMS Galatea. Prince Alfred Ernest Albert (1844–1900) was the second son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and was to become Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1893.
After nearly a week in Wellington, the Duke visited Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland, being received everywhere with great enthusiasm. In the Wellington of those days it was possible to arrange for the distinguished guest to go pig shooting on Miramar Peninsula and to picnic at Howe's Farm, Newtown. The stay in Auckland was prolonged until 1 June in an unsuccessful attempt to arrange a meeting with Maori leaders with a view to improving Maori-Pakeha relations.
A notable feature of the decorations for the tour was the use of locally made and designed “transparencies”, thin fabric pennants with a variety of topical designs. In the following year, on 27 August 1870, HMS Galatea returned briefly to Wellington, departing for Sydney on 3 September. On a third and final visit, the Duke arrived at Auckland on 8 December 1870 and spent some time in the thermal regions and visiting the Maori people. He left for England on 16 January 1871.
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