We home-hosted a couple, John and Kathy Clarke from the Wellington Friendship Force club. John is an indigenous Maori. He was tasked by the government with deciding how to divide reparations money between the indigenous tribes. When we parted company, they thanked us for giving them the royal treatment.

We’ve kept in close contact. Several years after they returned home, in a letter we received, once again they thanked us for giving them the royal treatment. SIR John had recently been knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his distinguished service!