Missing Lupo, Kate? Kate and William find new furry friends as they say bye to New Zealand #CarryGobySeanKellz #FutureGroupNG via @i_amreginaldjr

Prince George made a final public appearance in New Zealand as he joined his parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to bid farewell to the country as they flew to Australia - but not before cuddling up to some cute critters.

Prince William and Kate hold puppies while visiting the Royal New Zealand Police College[AP]

The eight-month-old future King was carried onto a Royal Australian Air Force Boeing 737 by his father Prince William for the three hour flight to Sydney at the end of a 10-day tour of New Zealand.
His parents undertook a series of engagements in Wellington earlier in the day, going on a walkabout amid screaming fans in the city centre after visiting a police training college.William and Kate said hello to German shepherd puppies training to be police dogs when the visited the college near Wellington.
The royal couple were grinning from ear to ear when introduced to a couple of 12-day old puppies from the dog training centre at the college in Porirua.
Kate, 32, seemed especially spellbound as she picked up her puppy and stroked it. She said, "It wants to hide under my jacket. I think it can smell George."
She asked police commissioner Mike Bush, "What do you feed them?" and, "Can they see yet?"
KATE, WILLIAM AND GEORGE ON ROYAL TOUR: ALL THE PICTURES
The couple, who cuddled the puppies lovingly, have made two-year-old Lupo very much part of their family.
He was the object of Prince George’s affection in an official photograph released by Kensington Palace shortly before the tour.

Kate enjoyed playing with the German shepherd puppies [REUTERS]

The Royal couple couldn't resist the cute animals [AP]

It wants to hide under my jacket. I think it can smell George

Kate Middleton

As thunder echoed around the hills and lightning flashed, one little girl who was fostering one of the police puppies presented Kate with a stuffed toy dog for George.“Thank you very much. He will love him,” the Duchess said. “What should we name him?”
The police dogs lay patiently in the rain as the Duke and Duchess talked to their owners.
As crowds sheltered under soggy umbrellas, a police choir raised a laugh with a rendition of Singing In The Rain.
The Duchess of Cambridge championed a New Zealand designer today as she and Prince William completed their final official duties in the country before heading to Australia.

 

Kate wore an elegant blue skirt suit by Kiwi designer Rebecca Taylor, only the second time she has sported an outfit by a designer from the host country during the 10-day tour of the country.
She wore an aquamarine coat dress by another New Zealand-born designer, Emila Wickstead, in Dunedin on Sunday.

Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, waves beside her husband Prince William and baby George [REUTERS]

Kate and William wave to the crowds before leaving New Zealand [AP]

In pouring rain, she and William went to the Royal New Zealand Police College at Porirua, just outside Wellington, where they sheltered under umbrellas at an official welcoming ceremony before laying a wreath for fallen officers.
The Duke and Duchess have headed to the police gymnasium for a demonstration by some of the troops.
The pair toured the police college, watching officers demonstrating techniques on how to deal with aggressive offenders, before saying hello to German shepherd puppies training to be police dogs. They made some new furry friends, holding the puppies.
Later today, the couple and Prince George will fly to Australia for the second leg of their three-week tour. Their visit comes as a new poll shows support for a republic has slumped to its lowest level in more than three decades ahead of the royal visit.

William held Prince George as he and Kate boarded the plane [REUTERS]

The Fairfax-Nielsen poll showed 51 per cent of Australians opposed to abolishing the monarchy.
Only 42 per cent were in favour of creating a republic, compared to 58 per cent in 1999, when a referendum rejected abolishing the monarchy because republicans could not agree on what sort of president should replace the Queen.
The rain has been an almost ever-present in Wellington, although other parts of the country have seen sunshine during the royal visit.
But in spite of the poor weather in the capital, New Zealand tourism chiefs believe the tour, which has cost the country’s taxpayers around £600,000, will be an economic boon to the country.

George was wrapped up warmly for the wet weather in New Zealand [REUTERS]

Kate Middleton, Prince William and baby George [ PA]

One tourism official estimated that the international media coverage alone has generated anything up to about £50 million worth of coverage, measured by what would have been the cost of placing adverts around the world.
Another, Kevin Bowler, chief executive of Tourism New Zealand, said: “Based on our experience of big events that attract a large media following, we'd anticipate the media value from the tour to be in the tens of millions of NZ dollars.
“What's more important though, is that the tour helps build on the strong momentum from many of our key markets that was achieved over the past 12 months.
"With the UK and US, for example, both growing strongly, we are optimistic the royal visit will help consolidate and add to the momentum we have already.”
The tour was hailed today as perhaps the best ever royal visit for New Zealand.
The country’s leading newspaper, the New Zealand Herald, said in an editorial: “That old fashioned term ‘triumph’ for royal tours is deserved this time. It was glorious, another unfashionable word, both for the visitors and for New Zealand.
"Prince William brought his wife Catherine to this country for the first time and their baby George for the world to see properly for the first time. It was an honour that this should happen here and a great benefit to the country.”
It asked: “Has there been a better royal tour? The Queen's first tour more than 60 years ago doubtless attracted bigger crowds.
"Charles and Diana 30 years ago was more also a celebration of mother and baby. The mother may have been more glittering and the baby, William, played with a more iconic toy.
"But William and Catherine look more balanced. They are doing royalty their own way, relating easily to people they meet and crowds they see. They have enchanted this country and they should come again, in the summer.”