Prince Harry performs the traditional haka in New Zealand

Prince Harry joined the soldiers of New Zealand's 1st Brigade on Wednesday (13 May) in performing a traditional military haka on the fifth day of his official tour of the country.

Local media said he had just 20 minutes to learn the dance before performing it publicly.

"He was eager and he was keen and he was just in love with learning our army haka," said an unidentified soldier.

He also visited Odyssey House in Christchurch, a therapy centre for drug and alcohol addictions. After chatting with patients, the Prince posed for photographs before spending time in a workshop helping to paint a table and looking at a drawing by one of the patients.

After his visit to Odyssey House, he travelled by helicopter to Linton Army Camp at Palmerston North on the North Island where he got to drive an all-terrain vehicle and an armoured personnel carrier.

The prince also helped with an earth oven, called a hangi. It is a key part of the Maori method of cooking meat and vegetables using heated rocks buried in a pit. Prince Harry ended his day with a game of touch rugby with students from Linton Camp School.

Queen Elizabeth's 30-year-old grandson said he would quit the military in June following a four-week secondment with the Australian Defence Force.

Like his father and elder brother William, Harry has taken on more official duties as the 88-year-old queen scales back her workload.