A reception hosted for the royal couple at Admiralty House this evening has wrapped up, ending Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s official duties for Day 1 of their Royal Tour Down Under.
During a speech at a reception at Admiralty House on Tuesday evening, Prince Harry revealed that it was Meghan Markle’s first time in Australia, and admitted he was excited to show her around.
Addressing the room at a reception, he said: “It is great to be back in Australia. And especially even more so this is my wife’s first visit here, so I’m very excited to show her this incredible country of yours, perhaps not Kangaroo Flats military training area in Darwin though!”
This after the royal couple travelled to Sydney’s Taronga Zoo earlier in the day where they officially opened the new Taronga Institute of Science and Learning and met two koala bears and their joeys who are part of the breeding programme. Markle was pictured giggling as she and Harry petted the animals.
The Duchess also stroked an echidna at the zoo.
The Duchess looked beautiful as she stepped out for the evening reception wearing a Brandon Maxwell khaki shirt. She was introduced to was introduced to Australian singer Missy Higgins, who attended the event with her nine-week-old daughter, Luna. Chatting about Missy’s daughter, Markle said: “She’s so sweet, so cute. Look at her.” The singer told the Duchess: “Cherish each moment because it goes by so fast. It really does.”
Prince Harry spoke about being a father-to-be, and how he “genuinely couldn’t think of a better place” to make the wonderful annoucement. Speaking at the Governor’s reception, he said: “We’re both delighted to be here and really impressed to see you serving beer and tea at an afternoon reception, in true Aussie style! 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 of a better place to announce the upcoming baby, whether it’s a boy or a girl, so thank you very very much.”
Tomorrow’s activities
Wednesday morning will see the couple fly to the town of Dubbo, situated on the Macquarie River, 300 kilometres northwest of Sydney. On arrival in Dubbo, The Duke and Duchess will visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service to learn more about the life-saving role the aviation service provides for people living in rural and regional areas.
With most of the state of New South Wales suffering from drought, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will see first-hand the hardships local farmers are facing by visiting a local property. The Duke and Duchess will then travel to Victoria Park to join people from Dubbo and surrounding areas at a picnic in the park to celebrate community spirit within the region. Members of the public are invited to attend.
In the afternoon, The Duke and Duchess will visit a local school working to improve the education outcomes of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
