Royal tour: Meghan wins hearts and minds of Australians
The Duchess of Sussex has put her stamp firmly on the royal itinerary, ensuring that female empowerment and advancing less privileged children and young people would feature highly on the Australian tour.
NSW
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THE Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Australian tour has been a triumph from the start — and it is clear Meghan has been a driving force.
Since the announcement, hours after they touched down at Sydney airport, that they were expecting their first child, to the hugs and special words they’ve had for adoring fans, the couple have been winning hearts and minds nationwide.
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And while royal tours are always planned to the last detail months beforehand, it is clear the Duchess — who has declared she is “proud to be a woman and feminist” — has brought her own special touch to proceedings.
The itinerary has focused on several female empowerment initiatives and on advancing less privileged schoolchildren and young adults, particularly those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Sunrise royal editor and British royal commentator Robert Jobson told The Saturday Telegraph the tour had been tailored towards Meghan’s interests as well as the Invictus Games.
“The Palace and the NSW government have taken the Duchess’s interests into account. She’s firmly behind empowering women and the trip has taken that into account, as well as the Invictus games,” Jobson said.
On their second day, the couple met with scientists at the new Taronga Institute of Science and Learning to hear how they are working to reduce illegal wildlife trafficking. When Kensington Palace announced details of the tour early this month, it was mentioned specifically that the conservation scientists they met would be female.
While Harry was no doubt keen to understand the effects of the drought, after a community picnic, the couple visited Dubbo Senior College. The school runs The Girls Academy, a mentoring program aimed at increasing school attendance, advancing academic and personal achievement and facilitating post-school education and employment opportunities for the indigenous community.
As a Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, Meghan was especially keen to see the work going on there — and has made education for girls an area of special interest.
On Thursday in Melbourne, the Meghan effect could be seen at their first event at Government House, where more than 150 women were playing sport as part of an initiative aiming to encourage females to be physically active. Interestingly, it was Meghan who began handballing — even in killer heels.
Their second stop in Sydney yesterday was Macarthur Girls High School in Parramatta. It is involved with the In League with Harmony Youth Advocate program, where the couple took part in a workshop with students around issues including social justice and youth empowerment.
Faith James, 18, was sitting her HSE English exams when she heard rapturous cheering: “I like Meghan because of the way she carries herself and she’s inspiring, she’s strong and all about feminism and empowering women.”
Ozge Salalki, 27, camped outside the school at 9am to catch a glimpse of the Duchess: “I love everything about her, she’s an actress who married a prince and believes women can do anything.”
Meghan’s social conscience has been credited as one of the reasons she connected so quickly with Harry and it is thought she is keen to use her position to advance the issues which are closest to her heart.
Meghan shows here true style stripes
It may have been Fluoro Friday at Bondi Beach, but the Duchess of Sussex made waves with a stylish maxi dress by Australian designer Martin Grant.
Meghan wore an olive green pleated stripe dress with wedge espadrilles by Castaner to the morning engagement.
Prince Harry also supported an Aussie label, wearing a blue shirt by Sydney-based Jac+ Jack, loosely tucked into tan chinos.
The dress, which was available online for pre-order, has since sold out — like many other items worn by Meghan over the past few days.
As the couple neared the sand, they took off their shoes and walked barefoot and donning floral leis.
But the Duchess’s outfit was upstaged by the colourful get-ups worn by local surfing group OneWave, which meets in fluoro every Friday to highlight mental health and wellbeing issues — issues championed by Prince Harry.
Founded in 2013, OneWave’s Fluoro Friday events have now spread to more than 100 beaches in over 20 countries.
Accent seems a brit much
The Duchess of Sussex’s changing accent is quickly becoming the talk of the royal tour, with some baffled fans observing she now sounds posher than the Queen.
There is no doubt former Suits star Meghan has adjusted to fit in with her in-laws and the newest royal appears to have dropped her US twang for clipped, precise, British tones.
When Estelle Gibson, 8, handed her a poster at the Opera House on Tuesday, Meghan replied in her best British: “Oh my goodness, did you make this?”
It’s natural to adopt a bit of a local twang when you move abroad — but she has only lived in the UK for 10 months.
Feisty Aussies’s right royal advice
The Duchess of Sussex has won hearts all over Australia with her benevolence, effortless charm and grace — and the help of her Aussie royal aide.
Originally from Brisbane, Samantha Cohen, 49, had been one of the Queen’s “most trusted” staffers for almost 20 years when she was tasked with giving Meghan a six-month crash course in how to be an effective member of the Royal Family.
She took on the role in May — after Meghan and Prince Harry married — and made the move from Buckingham Palace to Kensington, where the newlyweds live.
Ms Cohen was reportedly hand-picked for the job of royal adviser to Meghan after rising through the ranks from the Royal Communications press office to private secretary for the Queen.
Ms Cohen’s nickname is reportedly “Samantha the Panther” in royal circles because of her “feisty” personality and fierce approach.
She allegedly once refused Victoria Beckham an invite to a party.
Superfan veg’s her bets
Meghan received her most unusual gift so far yesterday when an avid fan at Bondi Beach handed her a bunch of carrots.
The Duchess looked over the moon as the admirer — reportedly dressed as one of the bright orange vegetables — handed over the carrots.
“Oh my goodness!” Meghan exclaimed as the fan passed them to her.
“Thank you so much!”
She immediately brought them to Prince Harry’s attention. “Look hon, we got some vegies,” she said.
“Fantastic,” he responded.
Since it was Bondi, we can at least assume the veggies were organic.
The king and queen of hearts
Comment, by Fiona Wingett
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been met with wild scenes of adoration wherever they’ve gone, their genuine interest in everyone whose path they have crossed cementing their position as Australia’s favourite royals.
Their warmth with the crowds, many of whom waited for hours to catch even a fleeting glimpse, has been infectious and their ability to easily connect with anyone and everyone has delighted all.
Not for them the stuffy protocol of other royal visits, instead a relaxed and happy approachability and sense of fun has put both nervous fans and officials at ease.
The couple’s special sprinkling of stardust — a stellar combo of the scion of the world’s most famous royal house and the glitz of a stunning world-famous actor — brings charities and issues that are clearly close to their hearts, the kind of attention no one else can.
And Meghan even stood pregnant, if not barefoot, in the kitchens of Admiralty House baking a cake so she could take a plate to a rural NSW homestead.
Harry has always been given a rock star’s welcome Down Under — especially after he chose to spend part of his teenage gap year in 2003 as a jackaroo in Queensland. But Meghan Markle’s super sparkle has sent their popularity soaring.
Megmania has been running wild since they announced, just hours after landing in Sydney, they were expecting their first child. The baby will always be claimed as one of ours, a true blue Aussie, with royal blue blood.
Australians have taken the couple to their hearts like no royals before them, with the exception of his beloved mother, the late Princess Diana.
With their looks of love, their geniality and their playfulness, their jam-packed visit has been a triumph.
