Cambridge , New Zealand ( CNN ) -- Cambridge , New Zealand is a small , picturesque town of just 18,400 inhabitants . The last time there was a royal visit here was a generation ago , in 1953 , when Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip came just after the Queen 's coronation . Locals still talk about that moment in local history , but now they have the next chapter . Excitement about this weekend 's visit by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was on full display in the pretty high street . Every other shop had been decorated with bunting and royal paraphernalia . It was as if everyone had rummaged through their drawers looking for anything royal or just UK-related and turned it into a display . There was mannequin wearing a Union flag apron and a tea cozy on her head ; tea caddies , tea cups , tea pots ; umbrellas , ornamental London phone boxes and buses . There was even a tattered guidebook from Windsor Castle . Acoustic Mexican wave . The night before the visit , excitement reached fever pitch . People started camping outside the town hall . By dawn Saturday , the pavements were lined with well-wishers . People had come from as far away as New Zealand 's capital , Wellington . By lunchtime , the population of the town had doubled . When we approached them with our camera , they cheered -- in fact if anything happened , they cheered . One teenager said she was a republican but had come here because of her mother who was a big royal fan . Both got in the spirit of things with matching tiara hair grips . There 's always an eery calm before the royals actually turn up . The roads are cleared , security is locked down and then there is a pause before you hear -- then see -- police outriders . Suddenly , the royal limo is right there before you . Cue : scream . It 's inverted `` Bieber fever , '' mums and daughters -- but with the mums shouting . In Cambridge , the royal convoy did a loop through the town and there was an acoustic Mexican wave as the cheers followed them . As the couple pulled up at the town hall and got out , the cheers erupted into screams ... then a huge boo , which was odd . Turns out a van had blocked the crowd 's view but was quickly moved on , allowing the screams to resume . The Duchess has n't been to New Zealand before and she wanted to meet as many people as possible , so `` walkabouts '' have been built into the schedule . Republican to royalist . At the Cambridge Town Hall , after meeting dignitaries and paying their respects at the war memorial , The Duke and Duchess crossed the road to the now heaving crowds . `` I was here at half past two in the morning , '' said one lady . `` But this was an opportunity that I was not prepared to let go by any means of the imagination . I was going to be here come whatever . '' After less than an hour , the royal visit was over . I spotted the royalist mother with her republican daughter . `` How did you cope ? '' I asked . `` I know you were quite excited beforehand . '' `` I was , I went all gooey , '' she said . `` Completely lost it but the good news is , I think I have converted my daughter to a royalist . '' I put that to the daughter who said : `` Yep . He shook my hand . '' `` That 's all it takes ? '' I asked and she said ; `` Yep . '' This royal tour must be sending shudders through the spine of the New Zealand republican movement . But we wo n't know what real impact it has had until the whirlwind is over , the window displays are back in the drawers and New Zealanders have had a proper chance to consider whether the Cambridges are people they like to see -- or would like to reign .
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are visiting NZ and Australia . Prince William and Catherine visited the small town of Cambridge Town . By lunchtime , the town 's population had doubled as people gathered to see them . There were lots of screaming and one well - wisher described going ` ` all gooey ''