Invitation

This is an invitation to an official event held during the 1901 Royal Tour of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. It is a colourful souvenir of the couple's state visit to New Zealand. Large numbers of people took part as spectators at the events organised for the Duke and Duchess, but only carefully selected guests received invitations like this one.

Details
The invitation is decorated with delicately rendered imperial and local symbols and motifs amidst curling tendrils and vegetation. Portraits of Royal visitors, as well as the reigning monarch and his consort are inset on each side. A New Zealand soldier and horse are in the bottom left corner and a Māori warrior is in the bottom right. Views of New Zealand's four main harbours suggest economic prosperity and civic progress, and are keeping with the event for which this invitation was produced: laying the foundation stone for new railway offices in Wellington. The event was scheduled to take place on 20 June, but due to the gloomy, drizzly weather it was postponed to the following day.

Significance
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (later King George V and Queen Mary) visited New Zealand from 10 to 27 June 1901. Their visit gave New Zealanders a chance to demonstrate their loyalty towards the British Empire and to show that the country was a progressive colony where Māori and colonists lived together harmoniously. The invitations produced for the Royal tour graphically convey New Zealand's political identity during this period: fervently imperial yet proudly nationalistic.