King Charles shares conventional Maori nostril rub greeting with conservationist as he hosts indigenous leaders at St James’s Palace

King Charles looked solemn on Thursday as he shared a traditional Maori greeting with New Zealand conservationist Mere Takoko. 

The monarch, 76, hosted hundreds of scientists, businesses and indigenous leaders to celebrate the launch of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance at St James’s Palace in London. 

The King and Ms Takoko performed The Hongi, a traditional and sacred greeting in which two people welcome each other by rubbing noses, often pressing their foreheads together. 

Ms Takoko is the first Indigenous Pacific ambassador to King Charles’ Circular Bioeconomy Alliance and has met the monarch on multiple occasions. 

The Hongi is an important part of New Zealand’s culture and those who are offered the greeting should always accept, because of its significance.

If a New Zealander should perform the Hongi with you, it means that you are to be ‘unified’ with the person and that you are now more than a guest.

Charles appeared in great spirits throughout the event as he greeted and shook hands with guests, looking jolly as he entertained with his usual jokes. 

Wearing a smart navy suit paired with a bright blue tie, Charles engaged in conversation with the likes of Tanya Steele, Uyunkar Domingo Peas Nampichkai, President of the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance, and John Schellnhuber.  

The Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, founded in 2020, officially became a registered UK charity in September 2023. 

Its mission is to foster positive change by creating sustainable value chains that revolutionise land use, food production, health, and industrial systems. 

The initiative employs a comprehensive science-based framework, partnering with experts, indigenous and local leaders, and utilising a unique ‘Living Lab’ activation model. 

Writing in the New Zealand Herald following the event, Ms Takoko said: ‘Standing in that grand palace, I realised something profound. 

‘While those walls may represent human notions of royalty, our planet is nature’s palace. And within it, all life deserves respect.

‘This is the journey we are embarking on. A journey from exploitation to respect. It’s a journey of reconciliation, of healing the wounds of the past and building a future where the songs of whales echo through healthy waters for generations to come.’

The event focused on how communities, and industries such as fashion, food, pharma can embrace new nature-based approaches.

Participants discussed the need to Re-Nature, Re-Think and Re-Activate to create an ecosystem that connects international companies, local stakeholders, and the finance industry to holistically redesign supply chains around regenerative landscapes.

‘Nature is the keystone infrastructure regulating our planetary system, including its climate, the food we eat, the water we drink and the oxygen we breathe’, said Marc Palahí, CEO of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance. 

‘Nature is also the basic fabric supporting all our economic activities, even if our economic system fails to value it because bees, birds and trees do not send bills to us. 

‘It is time to reimagine our world and centre it around Nature – our most important capital and the basis for human health and wellbeing. 

‘This requires understanding, valuing, and investing in Nature to transform our economy rather than to offset for its failure. We have the knowledge and technology for this transformation, we just need the wisdom and mindset to do it.’

At the event, The King met with experts and companies and investors working to accelerate the transition towards nature-positive businesses in sectors such as food, fashion, health, tourism and the built environment.

New Living Labs and initiatives bring together pioneering corporates & communities to regenerate landscapes

The event saw the CBA announce the launch of two new pioneering Living Labs, to demonstrate how to holistically create regenerative landscapes and nature-positive supply chains in symbiosis with local communities and indigenous people.

It comes after the King and Queen hosted a glittering diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening, with Camilla stepping out in the late Queen’s aquamarine and diamond tiara for the first time. 

Prince William joined the monarch and his wife for the grand white-tie affair, but the Prince of Wales was without the Princess of Wales, who is often a regular attendee at such events, at his side.

Kate, who finished her chemotherapy treatment in the summer and is gradually returning to public duties as she recovers from cancer, is focusing on hosting her annual Christmas carol concert in Westminster Abbey in just over two weeks time.

Camilla was dressed in a blue velvet evening dress by Fiona Clare, and opted for Elizabeth II’s small aquamarine and diamond tiara as she gathered with some 900 guests at the Diplomatic Corps reception. 

The delicate headwear – sometimes known as the aquamarine ribbon tiara – features five large aquamarines set in intricate ribbons of diamonds. It is the first time Camilla has worn the rarely seen jewellery. 

The piece has been favoured in the past by the Duchess of Edinburgh who as the then-Countess of Wessex wore it to the gala dinner celebrating the Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg’s wedding in 2012, and at the wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden in 2013. 

Camilla matched the stunning tiara with an aquamarine and diamond necklace and earrings from her own collection.

Her Majesty also sported the King’s new ‘family order’, a symbolic portrait of the monarch given to female family members. King Charles‘ is painted on poly in instead of traditional ivory.

The King, who wore white tie with traditional knee breeches and buckled shoes, was seen chatting warmly to his guests. 

The Princess of Wales did not join the family group. In September, Catherine, 42, announced a slow and measured return to royal duties after the conclusion of her cancer treatment.

As such, she is instead focusing her energies on organising her annual carol concert at Westminster Abbey early next month.