Kiwi tiki tour MAEGHAN & HARRY'S NZ ROADIE

A world away from the palace, there’s another royally adventurous couple making a bid for freedom

- Cloe Willetts

When Maeghan Harrington bought herself a Toyota Hiace van in July to take on road trips around the country, she couldn’t wait to tell her friends what she’d named the camper. After a couple of hours of deliberation, she decided on Harry, without realising it would catch the attention of royal fans!

“A friend’s partner had a van and they called it Toyota Tyrone, so I felt inspired,” laughs the Christchurch communications advisor, 24, who was due to go on her big OE last year before lockdown hit. “I liked the double letter and thought since my surname is Harrington, it’d be a funny play on words if I named it Harry the Hiace.”

Her friends in the UK were quick to notice the connection between the travel lover, her new vehicle, and former senior royal couple Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, now based in Montecito, California.

“Harry and Meghan didn’t cross my mind at the time, but it was the first thing my UK friends said,” recalls Maeghan, who has done five trips around the South Island in Harry the Hiace, both solo and with friends. “I haven’t had anyone in New Zealand mention it yet. But it’ll be interesting to see if I do when I hopefully take Harry up to the North Island over Easter with my partner Tim.”