Fiji in preparation mode for royal visit from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle next week

Fiji is in preparation mode as we await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be spending three days in Fiji as part of an official visit.

The last Royal Visit was in 2006 by Princess Anne.

The Suva-Nausori corridor is full of welcoming posters and pictures of the royal couple.

Organizers have started setting up the stage at Albert Park where there will be an official welcome ceremony for the royal couple on Tuesday.

The British and Fiji flags with welcome posters have also been put up at a number of places in Suva.

One of the main features of the royal visit is the unveiling of the new statue commemorating Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba at Nadi International Airport.

A Fijian hero in the Special Air Service (SAS) a special forces unit of the British Army, Talaiasi Labalaba will be honoured with a statue in Nadi, for his bravery in the Battle of Mirbat in 1972.  

The Labalaba Statue Memorial project team who are the members of the British Army Veterans and Nadi Fijian UK base Representative will be performing the official handing over ceremony of the late Talaiasi Labalaba’s Statue to the Vanua of Nawaka in Nawaka Village this afternoon.

A Memorial Church Service will also be held today.

Meanwhile, the Tui Nawaka, Ratu Asaeli Driu Naevo says that this is a significant event for the people of Nawaka and its five villages as they will commemorate one of the country’s and most of all Nawaka’s fallen hero.