Prince Harry offers Kiwi teen a job in London

Prince Harry told Lucia Kennedy there’s a job waiting for her in London if she wants it. Photo: Getty Images
Prince Harry told Lucia Kennedy there’s a job waiting for her in London if she wants it. Photo: Getty Images

Words by Sarah Carty.

While we all might dream of living in a palace, that might become a reality for one Kiwi teenager, who was offered a job by Prince Harry.

Lucia Kennedy, a 19-year-old studying at Victoria University of Wellington, met the royal and his 37-year-old wife when they visited Maranui Café in Wellington on Monday, after being welcomed to the country on Sunday with a traditional New Zealand ceremony.

The student admitted to Stuff.co.nz that she was initially a ‘bundle of nerves’ at the prospect of hosting the couple on the day, but those jitters quickly subsided when the 34-year-old prince told her there’s a job waiting for her in London if she wants it.

Prince Harry offered 19-year-old Lucia Kennedy a job at Kensington Palace. Photo: Getty Images
Prince Harry offered 19-year-old Lucia Kennedy a job at Kensington Palace. Photo: Getty Images

“They came up the stairs in the Maranui Cafe, I was introduced and basically had a chat to them,” Lucia said.

“Then I took them around all the participants and kept the conversation going at the next two tables.”

The confident teenager then turned to Prince Harry and said: ‘I finish uni in two years, I’d love to come and work for you’.

The Prince replied saying they would love to have her working for them at Kensington Palace.

“Just give us a yell when you come over we’ll sort it out,” Prince Harry told the student.

The royal couple visited the café to meet with young people from a number of mental health projects operating in New Zealand.

The royal couple visited the café to meet with young people from a number of mental health projects operating in New Zealand. Photo: Getty Images
The royal couple visited the café to meet with young people from a number of mental health projects operating in New Zealand. Photo: Getty Images

Cafe owner Bronwyn Kelly told Newstalk ZB that she couldn’t believe royal security had been in her café earlier this year to check out how appropriate it was for an official visit.

“We didn’t believe it, we thought it was a fairytale, for us it was completely out of the blue,” she said.

“Staff from the royal palace when they were doing the pre-planning came to Maranui, they really loved the vibe, the atmosphere and I think that it’s because it’s right beside the beach, it really offered something … that coastal but unique sort of feeling.”

The couple were pictured enjoying breakfast at the Lyall Bay café, before making their way outside to meet a line of young children who had patiently waited for the royals all morning.

Then, they flew to Abel Tasman National Park on the tip of New Zealand’s South Island, where they visited some of the conservation initiative managed by the Department of Conservation and embarked on a brief bush walk with one of the park rangers.


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