Prince Harry and Meghan have been warmly greeted by fans in an impromptu meet-and-greet on the final day of their Australia tour.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke with fans who’d gathered outside the Sydney Opera House for a glimpse of the couple ahead of their boat tour on the Harbour with team Invictus Australia.The ‘walkabout’ – a hallmark of royal tours – was a happy surprise. nine.com.au’s Royal Reporter Natalie Oliveri, reporting from the Opera House, said the couple’s team had previously said such a public event would not be part of their visit.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were hard to spot, initially, as the hordes of security, photographers, journalists and aides surrounded the couple as they met crowds,” Oliveri said.
“Everyone wanted to be as close to Harry and Meghan as possible, and at one point the Duke used his hand to hold back one photographer who got too close.
“But Meghan, ever aware of the cameras on her, smiled and performed her duties to perfection.”
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“The media scrum surrounding Harry and Meghan mirrored scenes from their 2018 tour, which also had a pinnacle moment at the Sydney Opera House,” Oliveri continued.
“But this time, as non working royals, interest in the couple reached unprecedented levels.
“For those wondering if Australians care about Harry and Meghan, the answer is an overwhelming yes.
“The Sussex charm has not worn off Down Under. King Charles and his family really might be missing that Harry and Meghan magic.”
During the meet-and-greet, Harry was warmly embraced by Michelle Haywood, who held a photo of her late mother Daphne Dunne with the prince during a previous visit to Australia.
Dunne, a former servicewoman and war widow, had famously described herself as “Harry’s biggest fan” and encountered the duke three times in Australia.
During the 2018 royal tour, he memorably rushed over to see her as the couple greeted crowds at the Opera House.
Haywood told the Sydney Morning Herald she hoped to thank Harry for these moments.
Prince Harry and Meghan gifted pairs of thongs
“I wanted to come down today because it’s my first opportunity to see him again and to hopefully be able to thank him for the joy he’s brought to Mum over all those years,” she said.
Meanwhile, Invictus Australia veteran Joel Vanderzwan presented the couple with the ultimate Aussie souvenir: personalised thongs.
Harry’s read G’DAY HAZZA while Meghan’s said G’DAY MEGS.
“G’Day Megs, I love it!” the former Suits star laughed as she turned to show photographers the shoes.
The duke took a moment to dance with Joel’s daughter Charlotte Vanderzwan, twirling her around, and met his twin sons Harrison and William.
Speaking to Nine News on the ground, the duke said he was enjoying the weather in Sydney and mentioned there had been “torrential rain” during his last visit.
Following the walkabout, the couple set sail on Sydney Harbour with team Invictus Australia in support of its bid to bring the Invictus Games back in 2031.
The event was held in Sydney in 2018 during Prince Harry and Meghan’s first visit here.
After their time on the water, the Sussexes again greeted members of the public (and lots of dogs) at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
Bondi visit
Earlier in the morning, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex met with survivors of the Bondi Beach terror attack as they visited the iconic beachside suburb.
At the Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club, Harry and Meghan spoke with members of the public, as well as survivors and first responders who were on the scene during the December 14 tragedy in which 15 people were killed.
The couple met Jessica Chapnik Khan, who shielded her daughter from the shooting, and Elon Zizer, who was shot several times while also shielding his children.
Zizer told the Sydney Morning Herald it was “an honour” to meet Harry and Meghan.
“It’s very beautiful that they’ve come and made an effort to meet us,” he says. “It’s very special – it makes us feel heard,” he said.
The Sussexes also chatted and posed for photos with volunteer first responders of the life saving club.
Harry and Meghan were also introduced Shannon Biederman, senior curator of the Sydney Jewish Museum, which is opening an exhibition on the tragedy.
Sticking to her approach of championing local fashion brands, Meghan wore a striped shirt by Aussie label Matteau and Rolla’s jeans.
A jam-packed final day
Ahead of the couple’s public appearances, Meghan was spotted taking a stroll through Bronte – a classic Sydneysider activity.
A video showed the duchess dressed in activewear and flanked by security as she glanced at the landscape of the beloved Sydney beach, before getting into a blacked-out vehicle.
The Sussexes’ jam-packed final day in Sydney marks the end of their four-day whirlwind tour around the country.
Meghan and Harry will set sail on Sydney Harbour with team Invictus Australia in support of its bid to bring the Invictus Games back in 2031.
In the evening, they will visit Allianz Stadium to watch rugby team New South Wales Waratahs take on Moana Pasifika, later meeting the players in the dressing room.
In between the boat ride and the football, Meghan is expected to appear at a women’s only retreat hosted by Her Best Life podcast.
The event is billed as a ‘girls weekend like no other’ and will see Meghan speak at at an in-conversation session before attending a dinner.
It’s hosted by Gemma O’Neill, who is the manager of Jackie O Henderson and the co-founder of Besties, a company she built with Jackie.
At the weekend, event organiser O’Neill described Meghan as “so divine” after having a Zoom call with her ahead of the tour.
“It couldn’t have been any more, kind of, real,” O’Neill said.
Prince Harry and Meghan in Sydney for fourth day of Aussie visit
“I just immediately loved chatting to her. She was like, ‘let’s just have a real chat, woman to woman, let’s just go for it’.”
Just 300 tickets are available and they are yet to sell out.
Tickets range from $2699, while the VIP experience costs $3199 and includes a group photo with the duchess.
Meghan is being paid but sources have said insisted it is a nominal fee.
Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh said in a statement: “Harry loves his rugby and we are looking forward to hosting him and Meghan at Friday night’s game.
“Australian audiences will remember Harry celebrating as England held aloft the Webb Ellis trophy on these shores in 2003.
“And with the Rugby World Cup returning to Australia next year, we are delighted to welcome him back for a match that will feature Test players from Australia and across the Pacific.”
The couple began their tour in Melbourne on Tuesday with a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1963 and again in 2011 after extensive renovations.
The site was also visited by Prince Harry’s parents, Charles and Diana, during their 1985 tour.
Tuesday saw Meghan visit a women’s homeless shelter and met with women who have experienced family violence.
Their final event of the first day was at the Australian National Veterans’ Art Museum.
On Wednesday, Harry made solo appearances in Melbourne and Canberra.
He attended a Movember charity event in Melbourne focused on fatherhood, and visited the Australian War Memorial, where he participated in a smoking ceremony, laid a wreath and viewed the Wall of Remembrance
While Meghan didn’t make any public appearances, it was later revealed she spent part of the day filming a guest judge spot on MasterChef Australia.
The duchess, whose own Netflix show was largely focused on cooking and food, will appear in an upcoming episode.
On Thursday, the couple reunited in Melbourne to undertake the Scar Tree Walk along the Yarra River, before visiting the Batyr Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Program at Swinburne University.
In the afternoon, Harry gave a keynote address at the InterEdge Summit, with Meghan watching from the audience.
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