Dylan Alcott reveals what he will say if he sees Prince Harry at Queen’s funeral

Australian Paralympian Dylan Alcott has revealed what he plans to say to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle if he runs into them at the Queen’s funeral.

Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott has shared what he plans to say to Prince Harry if he gets the chance to speak with him at the Queen’s funeral today.

Alcott, a celebrated Paralympian, was one of the ten Australians invited to Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral in London, which is happening on Monday.

The tennis player has flown over to the UK with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to attend the funeral, but managed to record a podcast episode before he left.

Alcott co-hosts the ListenABLE podcast with former radio host Angus O’Loughlin, with the Australian of the Year chatting about what it was like to receive an invitation to the Queen’s funeral.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Hayton speak with Australian wheelchair tennis player Dylan Alcott. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

Alcott said it was a “huge honour” to be able to fly to London and represent Australia with a handful of other people.

At one point O’Loughlin asked the tennis player what he would say to Prince Harry if he gets the chance to see him.

“Definitely will say ‘G’day’ if I run into him and Meghan,” Alcott said.

“I always feel when I read articles about them – because of my own personal experience – they’re very giving.”

The Australian of the Year said Prince Harry and his work on the Invictus Games was his first actual connection to the royals.

“What I will say is what Harry has done for disability via Invictus Games I really respect. And that was my actual first connection with the palace,” Alcott said.

“Obviously I got to talk to Her Majesty and stuff as well, but my connection is through that disability stuff.

“If I was able to see Harry, I’d ask if he’s going alright to be honest. I hope he is doing alright.”

Prince Harry met Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott in Sydney in 2019 for the Invictus Games.

Alcott also spoke about meeting the Queen a few months ago and speaking with her, describing it as a “cool experience”.

“To be able to talk about what we are trying to do here about disability in Australia,” he said. “Obviously sad news of her passing.”

The Queen’s funeral will be held at 11am local time on Monday, September 19, which will be in the evening for Australians tuning into the proceedings.

The funeral will start at 8pm for residents of NSW, Victoria, Queensland, the ACT and Tasmania.

In the Northern Territory and South Australia, it will begin at 7.30pm.

In Western Australia, the service will start at 6pm.

Last week, Mr Albanese revealed Buckingham Palace had requested the Australian government invite “everyday citizens” who made an “extraordinary contribution” to the nation.

Champion horse trainer Chris Waller is another one of the 10 Australians (excluding dignitaries) who received an invitation to the Queen’s funeral.

Mr Waller, the thoroughbred trainer of champion horse Winx, looked after many of the Queen’s horses and built a close relationship with Her Majesty over the years.

He had said it was a “huge honour” to attend.

“I’ve been inundated with messages and well-wishes and … it’s just a very humbling experience that’s about to take place, and all for an amazing lady,” he said of the invite.

Mr Waller would sometimes chat to the Queen on the phone about horses.

However, he missed the Royal Australian Air Force flight on Thursday night and is now unable to attend the funeral due to “Covid-19 related reasons”.

“Like so many others I will live and cherish for the rest of my life the fond memories I have of Her Majesty; her love of horses and all animals; her passion for life and the respect she gave everyday people,” Mr Waller said.

The Australian delegation of mourners invited to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Picture: PMO

Other invitees include 2022 Australian of the Year Local Hero Shanna Whan, 2022 Queensland Local Hero Saba Abraham, 2022 and 2021 Senior Australian of the Year Valmai Dempsy and Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann and Tasmanian Local Hero Kim Smith APM.

Danny Abdallah, who lost three children when a drunk driver hit them with his car in 2020, was also chosen to fly over with the group to attend the funeral.

Young Australian of the Year Trudy Lin and Western Australia’s 2021 Australian of the Year Professor Helen Milroy were also chosen.

Mr Albanese said the people chosen “embody an extraordinary contribution to our nation”.

“These everyday Australians will travel alongside myself and the Governor-General and will join the Acting High Commissioner Lynn Atwood who is currently located in the United Kingdom,” he said.

“We have put together and confirmed all of these people will be able to travel, they will be on the same plane as me that will leave from Sydney on Thursday.”

Originally published as Dylan Alcott reveals what he will say if he sees Prince Harry at Queen’s funeral