The Duchess of Sussex was left in stitches as she and her husband were serenaded with a song about mosquitoes as they continued their official royal engagements in Tonga.
The Tupou College Boys’ choir sung a comedy riff complete with flying actions and buzzing noises to welcome the couple to the forest.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were there to dedicate two of the school’s rainforest tracts to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy. But the focus was more on the mosquitoes.
The aim of the song was to frighten off any mosquitoes that might be buzzing around.
Tonga is one of the countries that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all but essential travel due to the Zika virus if pregnant. The original plan was for the Duke and Duchess to walk through the Tuloa forest but only Prince Harry did, possibly because of the risk.
Meghan was full of laughter when listening to a jokey song about mosquitos which was sang by a boys’ choir
The Duchess laughed as she and her husband were serenaded with the song as they continued their official royal engagements in Tonga
The aim of the song which was performed by the choir was to frighten off any mosquitoes that might be buzzing around
The song about mosquitoes was part of a official welcome to the Duke and Duchess to the Tongan forest
The Duchess of Sussex changed into a blue Veronica Beard dress following two morning royal engagements in Tonga
Meghan Markle had changed into the blue dress after earlier wearing a green and white striped dress at previous engagements during the day
The Duke of Sussex also changed clothes for the Tupou College engagement, opting for a more casual outfit compared to the formal attire he wore earlier in the day
The Duchess of Sussex met with delighted young students while she and her husband were visiting Tupou College
The couple arrived at the school, which is the oldest secondary school in the Pacific founded by missionaries, with Princess Angelika of the Tongan Royal Family.
They sat in a specially constructed traditional construction on two velvet thrones. Meghan had changed outfits into a blue Veronica Beard shirt dress and the couple smiled at each other.
Minister for agriculture Semisi Taurlangi Fakahau gave a speech in which he said it was imperative to protect the rainforest due to the rare flora and fauna being wiped out.
‘One example of this is the rare local parrot called koki hence the importance of treasuring these national reserves. In the forest one can glimpse the whole of Tonga. The generations of Tonga today and tomorrow are availed of the opportunity to learn from these forest sites,’ he said.
‘Today Tonga becomes a full member of the QCC Intitaive which signifies the importance of Her Majesty’s long reign. ‘A fountain of peace and prosperity for the people of Tonga for future generations. I wish your Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess a safe journey to the land of long white cloud New Zealand.’
The choir then sung welsh anthem ‘Guide me o thou great redeemer’ and prayers were said. The couple unveiled two plaques and inspected the koki from the forest who was sitting in a cage.
Aides had reassured the couple that the red-breasted parrot was safe and well in his cage. Harry then went into the forest. Boys from the college showed him coconuts.
Timote Fonokalafi, 12, Tupou College and Siosiua Vehikite, 16, Tupou College showed the prince where coconuts were grown and how they look after the trees.
Prince Harry walked on and met some more students. He asked one boy about flying foxes: ‘What is the population here? Do you know?’
The boys nervously laughed and the principal told the Duke ‘Around 100’. Prince Harry then asked: ‘Have you seen one? Is it cool?’ The boys nodded and laughed.’
As the Duke approached some boys lighting a fire, he looked concerned. ‘Don’t burn down the rainforest guys!’ he exclaimed. But they reassured him they were burning coconut shell.
As he came out of the ‘rainforest’ the school choir were playing the English rugby anthem ‘Swing low sweet chariot’. Prince Harry began to sing along and encouraged the crowds to sing louder as he walked along. He rejoined Meghan and they left to much applause and cheering.
The mother-to-be wore the blue dress as she attended the unveiling of The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy at Tupou College
The Queens’s Commonwealth Canopy dedication is one of four official engagements the Duchess and her husband are carrying out in Tonga on Friday
Prince Harry joined his wife in wearing blue, choosing a navy blue shirt which was tucked into beige trousers
The two students each presented Meghan with a bouquet of colourful flowers, which she received with a smile
‘My wife and I are so pleased to be here today to mark the dedication of not one but two forest areas to The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy initiative,’ Prince Harry said in a speech
The royal couple took great interest in a parrot during their afternoon visit to Tupou College in Tonga
The Duke had given a speech while marking the unveiling of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy.
‘My wife and I are so pleased to be here today to mark the dedication of not one but two forest areas to The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy initiative, which started in 2015 in honour of my grandmother’s lifetime of service to the Commonwealth,’ Prince Harry said in a speech at the college.
‘Tonga is leading by example and understands deeply the impact of environmental changes because they directly affect these islands. Planting trees and conserving forests helps us in so many ways.
‘It is a simple but effective way to restore and repair our environment, clean the air, protect habitat and enhance our health and wellbeing.’
Before they left the Duke and Duchess were driven to the Royal Palace for an audience with King Tupou VI and his wife Queen Nanasipau’u.
The couple entered the wooden, whitewashed palace and spent around 15 minutes inside with the royals.
The Duke and Duchess pose for photos with Tonga’s King Tupou VI and his wife Queen Nanasipau’u
Prince Harry and wife Meghan are pictured at the unveiling of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy at Tupou College
The royal couple had visited the college to dedicate two of the school’s rainforest tracts to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy
Prince Harry had changed into a suit following his excursion to the rainforest but Meghan was still in her blue Veronica Beard shirt dress.
The Duke and Duchess signed a visitor’s book before they left and then posed outside with the king and queen for photographers.
They also shook hands with the Tongan ruler and his wife, Meghan, noticeably curtsying to the Queen.
The royal couple previously met with Tonga’s Prime Minister as part of their marathon 16-day royal tour, before taking in a noisy celebration of the country’s youth and culture.
Prince Harry and his wife dropped by the St George Government Buildings in the country’s capital Nuku’alofa for an early morning call on Akilisi Pohiva and members of the cabinet.
The mother-to-be was wearing a striped green and white print dress by Australian-born fashion designer Martin Grant, brushing off the minor fashion faux pas she made when she arrived in Tonga in a striking red dress.
The Duchess, 37, still had the label hanging from her Self Portrait dress as she walked along a red carpet to the sounds of local singers wearing grass skirts at Fua’amotu Airport in Nuku’alofa on Thursday.
Prince Harry and wife Meghan arrived for a meeting with Tongan prime minister Akilisi Pohiva on Friday morning, local time
The Duchess arrived wearing a striped cotton dress by Australian-born fashion designer Martin Grant
It is the second time on the couple’s whirlwind royal tour Meghan has stepped-out in one of Grant’s designs
The royal couple are pictured meeting Tonga’s Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva, second left, and Deputy Prime Minister Semisi Lafu Kioa Sika, left, in Nuku’alofa
Their Royal Highnesses arrived for the meeting having attended a formal dinner in the country the night before
The visit to the St George Government Buildings was part of day 11 of the royal couple’s 16-day tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand
A glowing Duchess greets Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister Semisi Lafu Kioa Sika outside the St George Government Buildings
The Duchess, 37, paired her chic ensemble with a Prada Bibliothèque Bag and her Birks Bee Chic earrings
The Duke and Duchess are spending less than 24 hours in Tonga, in between visits to Fiji and Australia
The couple were also met by Deputy Prime Minister Semisi Lafu Kioa Sika and more than 50 civil servants wearing red and black shirts and traditional outfits as they entered the St George Government Buildings for the meeting, most of which was held in private.
One child held a sign saying ‘free hugs’ which drew a smile from Meghan after she spotted it.
The couple then took the lift to meet the Prime Minister, with Prince Harry asking ‘Did you enjoy last night? The entertainment was very good’.
He was referring to a display of traditional Tongan entertainment after a formal dinner with King Tupou VI.
The Duke and Duchess were later garlanded as they arrived for the noisy celebration.
The royal couple had the necklaces made from Fa and Puatonga flowers placed and tied around their necks as they were welcomed to the show of Tongan youth projects and handicrafts.
The Duke and Duchess were garlanded as they arrived for a noisy celebration of Tongan youth and culture
The necklaces which were presented to the royal couple were made from Fa and Puatonga flowers
The royal couple added locally-made attire to their ensemble while carrying out their official duties in Tonga
The couple were given a Taovala – an outfit added onto your dress – which signifies Tongan respect to the higher ranks
The royals were visiting the Fa’onelua Centre for a showcase of Tongan products, including traditional mats and ‘tapa’ cloth, carvings and bracelets made from whale bone and wood
The visit to Tonga by the Duke and Duchess has been described as one that has inspired the country’s youth to be ‘the best they can be’
Tonga’s Princess Angelika, a diplomat herself, called the visit by the Duke and Duchess the ‘ultimate diplomacy’
Meghan and husband Prince Harry were met by more than 50 civil servants when they arrived at the St George Government Buildings
The Duchess was shown to her seat by her husband ahead of the meeting, the bulk of which was held in private
The Duke and Duchess are spending the morning in Tonga before they head back to Sydney, Australia as they continue their mammoth royal tour
The royal couple were greeted by excited locals as they arrived for the meeting with Tonga’s political leaders
Prince Harry and Meghan, on the third leg of their four country Commonwealth tour, joined Princess Angelika and Prince Ata, King’s Tupou VI’s son and daughter, at the Fa’onelua Centre.
There they were showed locally-made products, including traditional mats and ‘tapa’ cloth, carvings and bracelets made from whale bone and wood.
Inside they sat on two throne-like chairs in the centre of the room, while Princess Angelika, delivered her short address after a prayer was read.
The princess said the royal couple were ‘an inspiration to the youth of the Commonwealth’ for ‘shining a light on youth empowerment’.
And the princess added that their historic visit to the South Pacific to what Captain James Cook called ‘Friendly Islands’ had inspired the youth in Tongan to be ‘the best they can be’.
She said the ‘historical highlight’ in relations between Britain and Tonga had been the Queen’s visit to the island in 1953.
The Duchess of Sussex made a minor fashion faux pas when she arrived in Tonga wearing a striking red dress
Meghan Markle had the label still hanging from her red Self Portrait dress as she walked along a red carpet following her arrival in Tonga
The Duchess made the minor fashion faux pas on arrival at Fua’amotu Airport in Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga
‘Your visit today draws attention to the fundamentals of today’s youth, youth leadership, youth empowerment and addressing the social, economic and environmental challenges of our region,’ she said.
‘Your visits inspires and has been an inspiration for the youth of Tonga to be the best they can be. You are a beacon of hope to us all. Shining a light and being an inspiration to youth across the Commonwealth.’
The princess, a diplomat herself, called the visit by the Duke and Duchess the ‘ultimate diplomacy’.
Outside the couple were given a Taovala – an outfit added onto your dress – which signifies Tongan respect to the higher ranks.
They met local Tongan traders and craftsmen as the Masani group of singers and dancers performed island music and songs. Prince Harry appeared to do a little jig as the music started.
Two children held up a sign for Prince Harry and wife Meghan as they waited for the couple’s arrival at the St George Government Buildings
One of the children played on the floor as he waited for the Duke and Duchess to arrive at the government buildings in Nuku’alofa
The two children were part of an official welcome party meeting the royal couple in Tonga on Friday morning
The royal couple were also greeted by children holding up the Union Jack and the Tongan flag
They were given a picture of the Royal Tongan Motif, Fata O Tu’i Tongan. Uili Lousi, art and artisan, said, ‘They said they will put it in their home’.
The royal couple will later visit The Royal Palace for an official farewell with The King before departing for Sydney, where they will attend the Australian Geographic Society Awards.
The next day, the royals will watch the Invictus Games wheelchair basketball final and then the closing ceremony of the Games which were started by Prince Harry.
Tonga is the third country the couple has visited on their first tour as a married couple, after travelling to Australia and Fiji.