Forty teenagers aboard the Spirit of New Zealand have met with Prince Charles today, as the royal engaged in his final public event before jetting off to Australia.
The group of 14- and 15-year-olds were told about the royal encounter last night while they were mid-voyage in the Hauraki Gulf.
The meeting came at the end of their five-day stint on the ship and were given a royal pardon if they failed their upcoming exams.
"I hope you pass your exams when you get back to school - you can always blame me," Prince Charles told the students as he left the boat.
Charles, wearing wore a grey double-breasted suit with an Anzac poppy on the lapel, boarded the boat when it was docked at Princes Wharf at around 10.15am. His wife Camilla did not attend the event.
"Have you all had a jolly time?" he asked the children, who came from Okaihu College in Northland, Dunstan High School in Alexandra, Waitakere College in Auckland and Naylan College in Nelson.
One student said he wouldn't wash the hand he shook with the prince.
"He's a very good chap," another said.
Not all were the students had expected a royal encounter when they were told they would have a special visitor though, with many of them admitting they were hoping for Chris Brown.
Josiah Brown, 14, said his initial thought was Prime Minister John Key.
"But nah, someone more important. We're pretty stoked about that," he said.
"If Barack Obama was coming I'd be like, `sweet', but Prince Charles is up there."
Charles and Camilla were due to depart from New Zealand after the meeting, flying out of Whenuapai air base.
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