Prince Harry Sydney visit to include meeting the public at Opera House
VIDEO: Victoria McRae proposed for a third time but while Prince Harry was not ready to quite go that far, he was more than willing to offer her a kiss.
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AMID the chaos of Prince Harry’s visit to the Sydney Opera House yesterday, for a moment they were just two war veterans sharing a private conversation — before the royal had to employ defensive manoeuvres to avoid another encounter becoming too personal.
Captain Wales spotted the Victoria Cross being worn by Daphne Dunne, 95, which had been posthumously awarded to her first husband, a Rat of Tobruk.
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The Prince, a veteran of two Afghanistan deployments, stopped for several minutes to chat about the VC, as well as Ms Dunne’s own WWII service as a corporal in the Australian Women’s Army Service.
“He asked me about the Victoria Cross — he said he recognised that and wanted to know all about it,” Ms Dunne, of Turramurra, told The Daily Telegraph.
She told him how her first husband Lieutenant Albert Chowne died aged 25 in 1945 — just a year after they married — in a heroic attack on a Japanese machinegun post in Papua New Guinea.
The red roses that Lt Chowne had arranged to be sent to his young bride on her birthday arrived just before the news he had been killed. Lt Chowne also won a military medal in 1943.
She wed her second husband, Corporal John Dunne, who was captured in Malaya in 1942 and
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ended up in Changi, a decade later.
“It was wonderful!,” Mrs Dunne said of meeting the Prince yesterday. She has now met every senior member of the royal family.
“Harry’s just a really natural guy and I think he’s a lot of fun.”
In a show of affection as he leaned down towards her, she touched his face before he kissed her on the cheek.
Harry, dressed in army fatigues and a black beret after a military exercise before his visit, told Ms Dunne: “I have to go soon, I’m keeping the Governor-General waiting but I’ll give you a peck on the cheek.” Ms Dunne replied: “Don’t worry — the Governor-General can wait!”
Earlier Harry had taken part in a defence training operation on Sydney Harbour and was spotted zooming about off Rose Bay and the Heads in a rigid inflatable boat.
He has been on a month-long secondment with the Australian Defence Force and flies to New Zealand tomorrow for a short visit before returning home to the UK to meet his new niece, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
One would-be princess, 21-year-old Victoria McRae, who was dressed in a gold tiara and sequined Australian flag dress, managed to steal a kiss from her prince. The university student has already tried twice to propose to Prince Harry and hoped that yesterday would be third-time lucky.
“I said ‘How about it?’ and he said could he think about it, then bit his knuckles,” Ms McRae, from Dee Why, said. “He let me kiss him on the cheek.”
But Ms McRae admitted she tried to go for the lips, with Prince Harry pulling away quickly.
Ms McRae made her first royal proposal from a kayak during Prince Harry’s 2013 visit for the International Fleet Review and a second proposal via his brother William at Taronga Zoo during his visit with Kate and baby Prince George last year.
“I told (Prince William) ‘I proposed to your brother and he hasn’t got back to me’,” she said.
William apparently replied, “Really? He has not got back to you?”
A relaxed Captain Wales yesterday spent more than 40 minutes talking to the crowd, accompanied from the Man ’O War steps by Premier Mike Baird.
As everyone wanted to shake the prince’s hand or have their picture taken, the Premier became the unofficial royal photographer, snapping pictures for the crowd after the prince reiterated that he did not like selfies.
There were dozens of “Marry me Harry”, “Harry for PM” and “Gingers Rule” banners, while some wellwishers clutched toy koalas and other plush items they hoped he would hand to his newborn niece.
“It was absolutely amazing to meet him. I can see why they call him His Royal Hotness!” said Mary Taylor, who travelled from Penrith to catch a glimpse of Prince Harry.
“I just love how he has stopped to chat with everyone — he was very generous with his time and Australians appreciate that,” added Gary Simmonds, from North Sydney. Tresanne Braddock, of Drummoyne, said the prince had a firm handshake. “He’s gorgeous,” she added.
Her friend Sophie Dymond said he was lovely. “He just asked me how my day was and I said it was very good,” she said.
It was his first public appearance since the royal birth last week. Asked about his niece, Prince Harry told the crowd: “She’s great.”
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