A 6.1 magnitude earthquake rocked the North Island on Tuesday afternoon halfway between Auckland and Wellington.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are presently in Auckland and are believed to be unaffected by the tremors.
The earthquake reportedly lasted 30 seconds and was described by locals as 'strong'.
'It was a bit freaky - there was silence and shaking,' one woman said on Twitter.
Prince Harry and Meghan are at the tail-end of their 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.
The royals were partaking in a traditional 'welly wanging' contest when the earthquake hit.
