Prince Harry Shucks Oysters In New Zealand

It's not how I expected to spend my Sunday, being challenged to swallow an oyster by Prince Harry.

The unusual invitation came on the second day of his tour of New Zealand, as he travelled by helicopter to Stewart Island.

The island is well known for its seafood, especially its shellfish, so the prince was invited to learn how to open and serve fresh oysters.

But rather than sampling them himself, he decided that I, as a royal correspondent, would be up to the job.

While I know they're deemed a delicacy by some, unfortunately he'd managed to leave a few bits of stray shell, which didn't help the experience.

Stewart Island is 18 miles (30km) off New Zealand's South Island and has a population of around 400 people. This was the first visit by a member of the Royal Family to the island.

Part of the purpose of the trip was to give the prince a chance to learn about the pioneering conservation work being carried out in the region.

He travelled to Ulva Island, a pest-free open island sanctuary, covered in unspoilt rainforest, and inhabited by a number of native birds that are rare or have disappeared altogether from the mainland.

Prince Harry spent the evening seeing how the locals live on Stewart Island, first dropping in on a Sunday church service at St Andrew’s Church, the village's oldest church.

He then went to the local pub and entered his team, "The Ginger Ninjas", into the pub quiz - coming in second place.

It's fair to say he had a distinct advantage over some of the punters, as some of the questions were about corgis and Eton Mess.

The day had started with a flight from Wellington to Invercargill where the prince was given a traditional Maori cape to wear as he met the crowds. He was also introduced to Henry, a 100-year-old tuatara – a reptile found only in New Zealand.

On Monday, Prince Harry is set to visit the only school on the island - and from here, his next stop will be Christchurch.