Prime Minister Chris Hipkins kept a low profile at King Charles III's coronation overnight, appearing just once in TV coverage of the historic ceremony.
Hipkins was among a number of New Zealanders invited to attend the coronation on Saturday (local time), including former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and iwi leaders.
The only time the Prime Minister appeared in TV coverage of the event was when he walked into Westminster Abbey alongside the Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Cindy Kiro and her partner, Dr Richard Davies.
Following the ceremony, Hipkins told the media that the atmosphere within and outside Westminster Abbey was "quite phenomenal".
He said the event was "clearly very successful" and "followed keenly by people at home given the number of messages I received from people who saw me on the telly".
He revealed he sat behind Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and beside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the coronation.
"It was interesting to watch the dynamics unfold. Obviously, a really significant event, but also it was just a really positive thing to be part of," Hipkins said.
"Clearly the coronation of a new British monarch is not something we have seen before in our lifetimes and so it does have a big sense of history about it."
Hipkins said he kept a low profile and didn't want to make any mistakes or slip-ups during the service.
"No one in the Abbey wanted to make any mistakes and so everyone was a little subdued in the sense that we all wanted to do it right."
The Prime Minister is travelling with a delegation in London including the Governor-General, the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, senior Royal Honours holders, iwi leaders, community representatives, leader of the Opposition Christopher Luxon and former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, who is representing the Order of New Zealand.
