Prince William

Wellington, Jan 18 NZPA - Prince William will be asked to get behind the barbie and flip a few sausages as part of his New Zealand summer experience, Prime Minister John Key said this morning.

Mr Key is hosting a barbecue for Queen Elizabeth's grandson, who is second in line for the throne, at Premier House in Wellington this evening.

Despite poor weather in Wellington the barbecue would go ahead with lamb, steaks and sausages on the menu.

"(We are) trying to give a bit of a local summer feel to an evening which hopefully will be one of fun and an opportunity for him to engage with a wide range of New Zealanders," Mr Key said on Newstalk ZB this morning.

The Prime Minister said he would man the barbecue for a while.

"I think I might grab him over too. I understand there's a royal apron awaiting him so we'll don those together and turn a few sausies."

Mr Key said the prince was "a very charming young man".

"He's extremely relaxed. I found him very, very personable. I wasn't sure entirely what to expect but he's very down to earth, he's got a great sense of humour.

"I think he's got a strong sense of the responsibilities that he currently commands and those that lie before him and yeah he's just a fine young man."

Prince William will today represent the Queen at the opening of the new Supreme Court building in Wellington where protesters from the Republican Movement plan to stage a peaceful demonstration.

The Prince was expected to tell the New Zealand public that the royal family was willing to serve as long as the people wanted it.

Mr Key said the republicanism debate was not something the royal family feared.

"I don't think that would be as if it's some sort of shocking revelation to him. Obviously there's discussion about republicanism around the world in places that currently still have constitutional monarchy like New Zealand. That's something that the Queen herself has said to me that she recognises there's a debate in and that's a matter... for New Zealand.

"I personally don't think New Zealand is going to become a republic anytime real soon, but it's not something that they are afraid to debate as royals."