7 reasons the Royal visit should include the northern beaches
THE Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear set to skip the northern beaches on their whirlwind tour of Sydney as part of the Invictus Games. From the Games’ first event being held here to fulfilling every British tourist’s dream — visiting Home and Away’s Summer Bay — here’s why they will regret leaving the region off their to-do list.
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THE Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear set to skip the northern beaches on their whirlwind tour of Sydney as part of the Invictus Games.
But with a few moments to spare in their packed schedule of events surrounding the Olympic-style games for wounded service men and women there is still hope of a surprise visit.
The Royal Family has a longstanding tradition of visiting the northern beaches.
Prince William and the Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, were a hit when they visited Manly in April, 2014.
Manly has hosted many royal visitors over the past century including Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester who attended a surf carnival in 1934.
The Queen Mother visited in 1958 and Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne, visited Royal Far West Hospital in May, 1970.
There are a number of very good reasons Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should head across the Spit Bridge.
1. THE FIRST INVICTUS EVENT:
The Duke of Sussex is the patron of the Invictus Games but appears set to miss its first event — a welcome ceremony to family and friends of athletes held at the Q Station at North Head.
Manly MP James Griffin said the royal couple’s attendance at an event acknowledging the support networks of returned servicemen.
The event — a barbecue on Quarantine Beach — runs from 10.45am to 1.45pm, fitting nicely between the couple’s visits to Bondi and the Prince’s Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.
“It will be a fantastic day and the games are about recognising the role of supporter — family and friends — of the athletes in recovery,” said Mr Griffin.
“We are going to have more than 350 of those supporters here in Manly, we would love to see Harry and Meghan come and celebrate.”
Mr Griffin also pointed out that it is “just a short ferry ride from Kirribilli to the Q Station”.
2. ROYAL FAR WEST:
The name says it all. A formal invitation was extended to the couple to stop by the Royal Far West in Manly.
The centre, for children in rural Australia with health and development issues, was visited by Harry’s grandmother, the Queen, in 1970.
Royal Far West CEO Lindsay Cane told the Manly Daily in September she was hopeful the couple could dedicate a stone at the new children’s health and learning centre, which will be opened in December.
“We were hoping that the young prince might rededicate the place his grandmother conferred the royal name on nearly 50 years ago,” she said. “Manly would love it. A visit to Manly would be fantastic. We would, of course, be delighted to host him.”
3. COULD IT BE ROYAL NORTHERN BEACHES HOSPITAL?
Royal Randwick, Royal North Shore, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club — they all have a certain ring to them.
Harry could have the chance to cement his own royal decree onto a piece of Sydney Infrastructure.
The Northern Beaches Hospital in Frenchs Forest is set to open on October 30. With the Prince leaving Sydney for good — after trips to Dubbo, Melbourne, Fiji and Pacific Islands — on October 26.
If he were to attend and give it his seal of approval the hospital could be on the same level in stature as Royal North Shore, even if it is not level in service provision.
4. DON’T MISS AUSTRALIA’S BEST BEACH
What would a trip to Australia be without visiting its best beach?
In February, what those who live in Manly already know, was made official when travellers voted it Australia’s best beach.
The TripAdvisor announcement, pushed it out past Bondi, which came in at five.
For Harry, it would be a shame to go all that way home, only to be confronted with the fact your brother Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge trumped you and your new wife in the beach stakes.
“If he had a chat to his brother I am sure his brother would tell him that it is where you want to go check out we have the best and cleanest beaches,” Mr Griffin said.
5. HOME AND AWAY
We all know the Poms love a flamin’ good storyline, and a visit to Summer Bay would be right up their alley.
They could have the chance to fulfil every British tourist’s dream and take a trip to Palm Beach — the real life setting of the show which has been anchored by cult classic Alf Stewart for 30 years.
Their Pal Ed Sheeran appeared on an episode — surely the cast and crew would make an exception for The Prince and his former actor wife if they wanted to make a cameo.
6. HOME OF SURFING IN AUSTRALIA
Let’s be honest, for an active young bloke like Prince Harry there’s a high probability he would love the chance to try and catch some waves (even if his overly-cautious royal minders advise otherwise). There’s no better place to do it than Manly Beach — considered the birthplace of Australian surfing after it hosted the first Surfing World Titles — won by Midget Farrelly — in 1964. Prince Harry could get the chance to learn from Layne Beachley — the greatest female surfer ever — and even use the board donated to his bro, Prince William in 2014.
7. CABBAGE TREE BAY AQUATIC RESERVE
Visiting koalas at the zoo is cool but there’s nothing better than coming face-to-face with animals in the wild. In Sydney, the best chance to experience wildlife in a safe environment is Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, which runs between Manly and Shelly Beach. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would get the chance to see everything from sharks (docile ones) to giant cuttlefish if they were to snorkel in the reserve. In February a royal of a different kind, Tony Hawk, who is considered the king of skateboarding, went for a snorkel in the reserve.