Royal Tour, Day 1: Prince Harry and Meghan start official tour
PRINCE Harry met a young Aussie girl who he thought looked so much like his wife, he couldn’t help but introduce the pair.
THIS is the adorable moment Prince Harry called his wife over to get a photo with her mini me.
Sethunya Gibbons, 9, was waiting with her family in the crowd at the Sydney Opera House wearing a T-shirt with the words “girls can do anything” when she caught the attention of the Duke of Sussex before he called Meghan over to meet her.
The Duchess then told the girl she reminded her of herself when she was younger, before Prince Harry took a photo of the group on the girl’s phone.
Someone in the crowd first told Meghan they thought the girl looked like her, to which she replied: “I was literally about to say the same thing.”
“You remind me so much of myself when I was younger. And I love your shirt,” she said to her young fan.
The girl posed with her grandma and later told 2dayfm of the exciting moment.
“When Harry came over to me, he came over first, he said ‘girls can do anything’ because that’s what it says on my shirt,” she said.
“Then he asked me if I wanted to meet his wife so I said ‘yes’ and then he asked me if I wanted him to take a photo of me and Meghan.”
Sethunya was with her grandmother Sharon Gibbons and cousin Rebecca Szekeres.
Her mum Rachelle Gibbons said: “Sethunya is very excited to be Meghan’s mini me.”
HARRY’S AUSSIE QUIPS
IN true Aussie style Prince Harry’s first official word on tour has been “G’day” before the Duke of Sussex commented on how great it was there was beer and tea at an afternoon reception at Admiralty House.
“We’re both absolutely delighted to be here and really impressed to see you serving beer and tea at an afternoon reception in true Aussie style,” he said in his first official address of their Royal Australian tour.
“Genuinely thank you for the incredibly warm welcome and the chance to meet so many Aussies from all walks of life and we also genuinely couldn’t think a better place to announce the upcoming baby.”
Prince Harry did not give any hints away as to what the sex of the baby was, pausing before saying “be it a boy or a girl”.
In true Prince Harry style, he kept his official address to Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and guests lighthearted, cracking a few jokes.
“G’day your excellency, ladies and gentlemen, it is obviously great to be back in Australia,” he said.
“Especially even more so this is my wife’s first visit here, so I’m very excited her to show her this incredible country of yours. Perhaps not Kangaroo Flats military training area in Darwin though — probably the last time I go there.
“You will also notice we had a roof on our boat earlier after last year’s downpour and luckily Sydney’s sun is shining today. So thank you for organising the weather.”
The Duke recapped the day’s activities, after spending the morning meeting koalas at Taronga Zoo.
“With some sleeping koalas or drop bears as some of the world know them,” he joked.
Prince Harry said he was grateful to the Australian government for hosting the Invictus Games which the country had embraced with great enthusiasm.
“Australia is of course home to some of the world’s best sporting talent but what you are about to see during these Invictus Games will quite literally astound you,” he said.
“A demonstration of the power of the human spirit, the power of the human spirit, the power of sport to change lives and the pour of feeling part of all of this from the stands. There really is something for everyone.”
Meghan changed outfits for the final official event of the couple’s whirlwind day, reporting wearing a wearing a green Brandon Maxwell pleated button-up shirt dress.
If she wasn’t already clucky enough, Meghan met singer Missy Higgins and her daughter Luna at the reception.
TOUCHING MOMENT WITH WAR WIDOW
THE Duke and Duchess of Sussex have met with thousands of adoring fans outside the Sydney Opera House this afternoon.
But no one has stolen Prince Harry’s heart more than Daphne Dunne — the 98-year-old war widow who famously stole a kiss from Harry when he visited in 2015.
After camping out for him all morning at the Opera House, Daphne and Harry have today shared another special moment in the crowd.
The pair exchanged words and Harry received a purple envelope from the widow.
98-year-old Sydneysider Daphne Dunne has met Harry for a third time in Sydney. Harry introduced his wife to Daphne for the first time today. "Marvellous." #RoyalWatch #7News pic.twitter.com/OgDIKnQpyU
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) October 16, 2018
She also met Meghan Markle for the first time, with all the cameras on the pair as they shared a touching moment within the crowd about their baby announcement.
“Congratulations, I think that’s marvellous,” said Daphne to Meghan. “It’s just what Harry needs.”
“I’ve seen your shoes, they’re very cool,” chimed in Harry. “Have you dyed your hair a shade of pink?”
“It’s fantastic,” added Meghan. “I’m so happy to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you. All good things.”
“I think it’s wonderful, the two of you,” Daphne replied.
She kissed both the Duke and Duchess and gave them cards and flowers as gifts.
“Oh what’s this? This is fantastic,” Meghan said. “Enjoy the rest of the day. Hopefully next time we see you we’ll have a little one with us.”
Speaking to news.com.au earlier today, Daphne said she thought Prince Harry would make a “marvellous dad”.
“It’s exciting now because his wife is going to have a baby,” she said. “It’s a very exciting time for them … just marvellous.
“It’s what he’s always wanted. He will be a marvellous dad. He won’t let anything stand in his way and he will be so gentle and loving. This should be an Australian baby.”
Asked for her thoughts on what Meghan would be like as a mum, Daphne said: “Meghan will be out of this world. They are beautiful together. They show their affection … it’s lovely. Their affection just comes out, so instead of the rain pouring out it’s their affection.”
Daphne is a mother-of-one, with two grandchildren. Reflecting on her own experience as a parent, she said: “The hardest bit will be finding their way. They will be frightened too … you don’t know if you’re doing the right or wrong thing.
“He’s a wonderful friend … that’s how I feel about him. He’s my favourite royal and so good-looking too.
“I’m sorry he’s taken!”
Asked what the pair spoke about during their 2015 encounter, she said Harry was drawn to her late husband’s Victoria Cross, which she was wearing.
“We were chatting for a little while and they kept saying to him, ‘We’ve got to go, we’ve got to go’, and he didn’t worry about that. He just continued on with what he was doing, which was talking to me, and then when he started to go he gave me a kiss on the cheek,” she told the Today show this morning.
“And then he came back later and gave me another one because I was lopsided, and had to have another kiss to put me right.”
Asked if she had any gifts for them, Daphne said: “Flowers and that they will be very, very happy. I think that’s more important than any gift — to wish them happiness.”
Bless.
A lot of people are handing gifts over to the pair, including roses and Australian chocolates, and congratulating them on the baby announcement.
The pair will go from the Opera House back to Admiralty House in Kirribilli later this afternoon, where they will join in a reception hosted by the Governor-General.
The Duchess has added a trench coat to the cream Karen Gee dress she began the day in, hiding any sign of her barely-there bump.
CROWDS OUT IN FULL FORCE TO GREET ROYALS
In a spectacular welcome to Australia, Prince Harry and a glowing Meghan Markle have been greeted by thousands of royal fans beneath the sails of Sydney’s iconic Opera House.
And the crowd outside may have just witnessed Prince Harry’s first ‘dad’ moment.
The Duke — who’s expecting his first child with Meghan Markle — had some stern words for Sydney teenager Emerson Yee, 15, after spotting her handmade poster, which read: “I gave up perfect school attendance to see you.”
“He came over and told me not to miss school again,” she told news.com.au.
Despite the joking reprimand, Emerson was thrilled with her royal encounter.
Meanwhile, her friend Tara, also 15, revealed that Meghan had promised she’d consider her name for the royal baby.
“She said she’d consider ‘Tara’!” she said.
An estimated 4,000 people gathered along the forecourt to meet them and celebrate the news.
After watching a rehearsal from the Bangarra Dance Theatre inside the Opera House, the Duke and Duchess appeared on the steps of the western boardwalk just after 12.30pm and were met by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
Helicopters whirled in the skies and fans waving Australian flags cheered as the pair slowly made their way down a barricaded walkway, surrounded by minders. Exceeding the allotted 15 minutes for the walk, they stopped to chat to royal fans and accepted flowers, stuffed toys and artwork.
After meeting the couple, one girl called her parents and shared: “He just took my phone! He took a photo of me and Meghan!”
Onlookers began lining up along the barricades from 8am, with some passing the time by singing songs like Waltzing Matilda as the couple’s arrival neared.
One large sign read: “Congratulations to Harry and Meghan — the proudest parents to be.”
While days of rain and grey skies threatened to hang around for today’s appearance, the clouds began to clear over the Harbour and provided the perfect backdrop for the couple’s first major public appearance on their 16 day Pacific tour.
At the end of the walk, the royal couple were greeted by a specially selected group mums and daughters.
Sarah Legge, 41, from Mount Colah surprised her eight-year-old daughter Alice with today’s mission to see the couple. She never thought they’d get to meet them.
“We thought we’d maybe just get a glimpse through a car window,” she said.
Alice said she has loved Prince Harry and Meghan “since their wedding”.
“She’s kind and pretty,” Alice said. “I told her she’s my role model and she told me I’m really kind. She asked what I wanted to be when I grow up — and I said royalty. She said no ones ever said that.”
As fans cheered and begged for more time, the couple were escorted to a waiting motorcade.
SECURITY BEEFED UP OVER OPERA HOUSE
If you needed reassurance that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be safe on their journey down under, look no further than this:
Police snipers have been stationed on top of the Opera House in preparation for the royal couple’s arrival.
There is a heavy security presence outside the Sydney Opera House on the ground too.
Dozens of uniformed police and plainclothes officers have been sweeping the area for hours with sniffer dogs. Royal fans, meanwhile, have had to undergo X-ray bag checks to gain access to the Opera House forecourt before taking their places along the metal barricades.
There are also several police cars with flashing lights blocking the Opera House driveway, as helicopters fly overhead.
It’s not surprising considering all the security measures Meghan and Harry have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Just last month, the Daily Star revealed they were always referred to by their officials title initials “DS” for Duke or Duchess of Sussex.
A source said it was “far too risky” for their bodyguards to refer to them by their actual names, in case their details fell into the wrong hands.
The report noted “if anyone got hold of a phone belonging to a royal aide or security team member, they won’t find Harry Windsor and Meghan’s names in it” because “it is far too risky” to store the couple’s personal details on a mobile.
Hours before the pair arrived at Admiralty House this morning, an official motorcade of 11 police motorcycles was ready and waiting to escort them into the building.
The snipers will remain stationed on top of the Opera House as the couple prepare to watch a Bangarra Dance Company performance, before embarking on a meet-the-people walk around the iconic landmark.
But hey, they’re hardly the most controversial thing to be seen on the building in the past week.
MEGHAN AND HARRY HEAD TO OPERA HOUSE
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have weathered a windy morning on the rough waters of Sydney Harbour, making their way by boat to meet locals at the Opera House.
Chances of motion sickness replaced any potential morning sickness for the Duchess of Sussex, who it was confirmed yesterday is pregnant with her first child.
The royal couple boarded the Admiral Hudson about 11.25am and made the rough 15-minute journey from Taronga Zoo to the Man O’ War Steps at the Opera House, where they watched a rehearsal from the Bangarra Dance Theatre before meeting throngs of gathered fans.
Despite days of rain and a gloomy morning, the clouds cleared and blue skies appeared before they took to the water.
The couple was running behind schedule after meeting koalas and opening a new science facility at the Taronga Zoo and made a quick dash to the Opera House, avoiding any scenic drifts near the Harbour Bridge.
The Duke and Duchess were helped off the boat by minders and swiftly ushered up a path and into the Opera House through a stage door.
They held hands and smiled to crowd, with Meghan pushing her hair out of her face.
After watching the Bangarra rehearsal, they made their way to the forecourt underneath the iconic sails of the Opera House to meet the public. It was their first major public appearance since it was announced yesterday they were expecting their first child.
Royal fans started lining up outside the Opera House at 8am, hoping to secure a prime spot to see the Duke and Duchess during the meet-and-greet.
MEGHAN IS WEARING PRINCESS DIANA’S EARRINGS
Sometimes it’s the smallest details that can mean the most.
Meghan Markle is wearing Princess Diana’s gold and diamond butterfly earrings and bracelet today, as a tribute to the woman who would have been her mother-in-law.
The detail was picked up by The Sun’s royal correspondent Emily Andrews.
#Meghan wearing Princess Diana’s gold and diamond butterfly earrings and bracelet on her first day of #RoyalTourAustralia pic.twitter.com/2InKbM8dHW
— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) October 16, 2018
DUKE AND DUCHESS ARRIVE AT TARONGA ZOO
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrived at Taronga Zoo about 10.30am.
The royals were introduced to a pair of koala joeys named in their honour.
The newborn koalas were named ahead of their nuptials in May as an early wedding present from NSW.
Meghan and Harry were greeted by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian when they arrived.
The pair were on hand to help open a new research and education facility for students, and met with conservation scientists.
The Institute of Science and Learning will be home to native bilbies and quokkas living in classrooms, and the largest collection of frozen coral cells from the Great Barrier Reef.
— AAP
BABY GIFTS MELT HARRY’S HEART
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrived at Admiralty House just after 9am.
Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and Lady Cosgrove presented them with a number of little gifts, including a stuffed kangaroo and a pair of Akubra hats.
But it was the third little gift — a pair of baby ugg boots — that brought this heartwarming expression to Prince Harry’s face:
People took to social media as their hearts collectively melted for him.
they gave harry and meghan little baby ugg boots and look at how happy harry is pic.twitter.com/13rafPDeQv
— meredith (@meghanmrkIe) October 15, 2018
Seeing Harry gleefully hold those little baby ugg boots he got given this morning has made my cold, dead heart instantly thaw.
— Shannon Molloy (@sleemol) October 15, 2018
I’m not a monarchist, just happy for anyone having their first kid. I think those little ugg boots just made it real for Harry 👶 https://t.co/VknE05T6eR
— s c a r y 🕷 b e a r (@clarevward) October 15, 2018
BABY UGG BOOTS💙💕 I’m done #RoyalBaby ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜‚ pic.twitter.com/lWhagwldhX
— SuitablyforSussex (@suitablyforsus1) October 15, 2018
All eyes were on the royal baby bump as the pair made their arrival, with the Duchess of Sussex donning a minimalist white dress by Australian designer Karen Gee.
AUSSIES GEARING UP TO MEET ROYAL COUPLE
Today was a chance to recreate history for the Dunsire family.
Mum Pauline and her twin six-year-old daughters Grace and Willow drove up from the Southern Highlands to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.
Almost 30 years ago, Pauline’s own mother brought her to the Opera House to see Princess Diana when she toured the country.
“We got to meet her too,” Pauline said.
Grace and Willow hoped to meet Meghan and give her flowers, paintings and a letter.
“(In the letter) we congratulated them on their baby news and asked if they’re having twins,” they laughed.
Alice, 85, of Mosman, was lined up and in a prime position outside the Opera House bright and early to catch a glimpse or Prince Harry and Meghan.
“I love Harry! I saw him briefly when he was here last time. And Meghan seems to have a lovely personality — I’m so happy about their baby news,” she said.
Alice is somewhat of a royal tour expert — she’s seen the “always beautiful” Queen six times in Australia, and shared a sweet moment with Prince William on tour “back when he was a bachelor”.
“We shook hands, and he was very pleasant … but I was in a daze, I was speechless,” she said.
Ella and Erin, both 18, even took a day off from studying for the HSC — which starts on Thursday — to try to meet Harry and Meghan.
Their hour-long train commute and 8am arrival meant a 5.45 alarm this morning, but it’s all worth it for the “hardcore royal fans”.
An hour before the Duke and Duchess are due, they’re still working out what they’ll say to the couple if they’re lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.
“I think we’ll go with congratulations!” an excited Erin told news.com.au.
Jordan Ilencik, 14, gave school a miss today to deliver a very special message — and flowers — to Meghan.
“I want Meghan’s attention,” he said, dressed in his finest outfit. “I want to give her a hug. She’s just a beautiful person.
“I’m going to give her the flowers and show her my cute charm.”
Yesterday’s news of a royal baby only made him more excited.
“I was so happy for her. I wish it was me,” he said.
And while his mum let him come down for the day, there was rules. “I have to be home by 4.”
‘THEY WERE SO DOWN-TO-EARTH’
Anna Quinn, a liaison officer and volunteer for the Invictus Games, was at the Admiralty House reception this morning.
She described the experience as “wonderful” and said it was a “real privilege” to be part of the occasion.
“They were just delightful,” she told news.com.au of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. “Very down-to-earth and just very friendly and they had lovely chats with us.”
She said Meghan looked “fantastic”, but they didn’t address the royal baby news.
— Vanessa Brown
SYDNEYSIDERS BEGIN FILING THROUGH SECURITY
The first locals have started filing through security and lining the metal barricades at the base of the Opera House.
Construction workers are putting together the finishing touches on railing and platforms.
Despite the impending chaos, some determined Sydneysiders aren’t letting a royal visit mess with their usual routines.
Morning joggers have been getting checked through security just to complete their usual run along the harbour.
‘WE HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE COMING’
Engaged couple Diego Wang, 22, and Hannah Li, 25, thought it would be a “quiet day” to take some pre-wedding photographs on the steps of the Opera House.
“We had no idea they were coming,” Wang laughed about the royal couple’s Harbour visit.
“We thought it would be quiet and not too many people — but when we got here we found out they were arriving.”
The students, who are getting married at home in China next year, decided two months ago to take professional photographs in their wedding outfits in front of the iconic landmark.
Arriving at the Opera House in full gown and suit, they’re the only couple who could take the attention off the royals today.
— James Weir
POLICE WAITING OUTSIDE ADMIRALTY HOUSE
An official motorcade of 11 police motorcycles arrived to Admiralty House in Sydney’s Kirribilli just before 7.30am, escorting two vehicles through the front gates.
Duties have well and truly started with around 20 police officers manning the gates ahead of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s first official engagement with Governor-general Peter Cosgrove.
Volunteers have arrived at the site, but all are declining to comment at this stage.
— Vanessa Brown
Just gorgeous! Loreto Kirribilli girls go crazy when they come face-to-face with Harry and Meghan â¤ï¸#RoyalVisitAustralia #RoyalVisitAus #DuchessofSussex #HarryandMegan pic.twitter.com/vKnBR413SM
— Mosman Collective (@mosmancollectv) October 16, 2018
MEGHAN ‘DID NOT TELL’ FATHER ABOUT PREGNANCY
When Duchess Meghan broke her baby news to the Royal Family, her mother Doria was thrilled.
The 62-year-old issued a statement last night saying she was “very happy at this lovely news and is looking forward to welcoming her first grandchild”.
But according to royal reporters, Kensington Palace refused to comment on whether Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, had also been told in advance.
Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland issued a statement through Kensington Palace saying she was ‘very happy at this lovely news and is looking forward to welcoming her first grandchild.’
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) October 15, 2018
Kensington Palace declined to comment on whether her father, Thomas Markle, had been told.
Now, sources are claiming he didn’t find out until Kensington Palace announced it to the world last night.
“Meghan did not tell Thomas Markle about the pregnancy,” a source told Us Weekly just hours after the announcement. “He found out the same time as the rest of the world.”
Meghan’s strained relationship with her father has been well-noted since the wedding. The 74-year-old has previously referred to the royal family as “cult-like” and compared them to the Church of Scientology, and he did not attend the couple’s nuptials.
By contrast, the source said Meghan gave her mum Doria Ragland the good news straight away.
“Doria is so delighted about the news of her first grandchild,” the source told Us. “Doria has been helping Meghan through this time in her life immensely. Meghan really looks to Doria for all advice in anything she does.”
Thomas was spotted shopping alone for groceries in San Ysidro, California, as the pair announced the news to the Royal Family on Friday, the day of Princess Eugenie’s wedding.
He was spotted buying beers, pot pies and firewood from the store near his home in Rosarito, Mexico, and appeared to be in high spirits, The Daily Mail reports.
PIPPA MIDDLETON ARRIVES AT LINDO WING
Heavily-pregnant Pippa Middleton has spotted arriving at the Lindo Wing maternity unit, just days after the royal wedding.
The younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge is said to have been joined at the private hospital with her financier husband James Matthews, The Sun reports.
Hubby James was pictured carrying two overnight bags as they entered the wing — a £78 Cam Cam Copenhagen baby changing bag and another holdall.
Eyewitnesses say Pippa, 35, was seen smiling as she entered the Lindo Wing, where her nephews Prince George and Prince Louis and niece Princess Charlotte were born.
Pippa has already visited the exclusive Lindo Wing, where Kate Middleton gave birth to all three of her children.
The Duchess of Cambridge posed on the steps of the ward with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, shortly after each of their births.
The Lindo Wing is believed to be valued at £7500-per-night ($AU14,000).
The pricey ward is popular with royals, with Princess Diana having both of her children there, and she also stood for photos on the steps with Prince William and Harry.
Pippa and James were spotted visiting the wing, in St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, which is a stone’s throw from their £17 million ($AU31.3 million) mansion in Chelsea earlier on in her pregnancy.
— Lauren Fruen
DUKE AND DUCHESS EXPECTING A BABY
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is pregnant with her first child and will give birth in the British spring next year.
The confirmation ends days of speculation about whether the 37-year-old and Prince Harry, 34, were about to become parents.
Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019. pic.twitter.com/Ut9C0RagLk
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 15, 2018
The world has gone wild over the happy news, but Aussies will be the first to congratulate the pair in person, with the royals beginning their 16-day tour of Australia today.
Rumours have been floating since Princess Eugenie’s wedding on Friday, where Meghan wore a loose-fitting navy coat. When she didn’t take off her jacket in the church, speculation started up.
The rumours continued when the pair touched down in Sydney yesterday and Meghan was pictured carrying a stack of binder folders in front of her stomach.
“Victoria” is top of the bookies odds on girls’ names, while “James” is leading the way for boys.
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