Photos from day two of Harry and Meghan’s tour
Harry and Meghan’s final day in Melbourne before Sydney sojourn
Good morning and welcome to our ongoing live coverage of Harry and Meghan’s non-royal (but totally royal) tour of Australia.
We are on day three, which means their official four-day itinerary is almost over – though a few events happening in Sydney this weekend were left off the agenda. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Today, the duke and duchess will do Melbourne’s Scar Tree Walk. For non-Melburnians reading, that’s a tour through Aboriginal art installations along the Yarra River through to a traditional Kulin Nations meeting place, which is now the site of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and protected Scar Trees.
They will then visit youth mental health program batyr, before heading to the InterEdge summit. Harry is due to give a keynote address at the latter, which is presented by and supporting Lifeline Narrm. The lowest-cost in-person ticket to the event is priced at $997.
Stay with us as we bring you rolling updates.
Harry welcomes bid for Invictus Games to return to Australia
Prince Harry says he would welcome a future Invictus Games returning to Australia, revealing he is pleased of another bid to bring the event back Down Under.
Speaking at the Australian War Memorial, the prince used a keynote address to underline the need for stronger, long-term support for veterans, warning that “what happens after service is just as important as service itself”. He praised Australia’s record since hosting the Sydney Games in 2018, saying the country had “raised the standard” with programs now reaching tens of thousands of veterans and their families.
He pointed to growing international momentum, with bids being assessed for the 2029 Games and early interest already emerging for 2031.
Closing on a more personal note, Harry – a veteran of Afghanistan with the British army – told veterans their courage “does not end when the uniform comes off”, urging governments, businesses and communities to keep backing their recovery long after service ends.
Meghan to appear as guest judge on MasterChef
The Duchess of Sussex will appear as a guest judge on MasterChef after spending the day filming an episode of the reality TV series, which will begin broadcasting its 18th season this weekend.
“Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, makes a special guest appearance this season as she returns to Australia for the first time since 2018,” MasterChef said in a statement on Instagram.
“Joining a star-studded lineup of guest judges and culinary icons, Meghan helps guide some of the most impressive home cooks the competition has ever seen.”
Other guest judges for the season include Robert Irwin, Jimmy Barnes, Maggie Beer and Curtis Stone.
MasterChef will premiere on 10 this Sunday, April 19 at 7pm.
A touching tribute to veterans
Prince Harry has honoured fallen Diggers during a moving Last Post Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on Wednesday afternoon, after being welcomed on arrival by Indigenous veterans.
Hundreds of tourists packed the upper levels of the memorial to both get a glimpse of the King’s youngest son, who is on a four-day tour of Australia, and pay their own respects.
One wag yelled out: “You’re a prince, Harry. You’re a prince.” Harry gave a gentle wave of acknowledgement in return.
After a brief ceremony, Harry enjoys a private tour
After a brief wreath-laying ceremony, Harry has entered the Australian War Memorial for a private tour of the museum.
He is expected to later attend the Last Post ceremony before delivering a keynote address to Invictus Australia.
While royal watchers gathered on the lawns for a glimpse of the youngest son of King Charles, several tourists were shocked to bump into the prince.
Harry remains popular among the veteran community, having spent a decade in the British Army, completing two tours of Afghanistan and rising to the rank of captain.
Harry arrives at War Memorial
Harry, dressed in a dark suit and wearing his service medals, has arrived in the nation’s capital to honour Australia’s military veterans and those killed in action at the War Memorial.
A two-time veteran of Afghanistan, he was welcomed by the memorial’s Indigenous liaison officer, Michael Bell, a Ngunnawal/Gomeroi man. They went on a tour of For Our Country, recognising the service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
A small but enthusiastic gallery of onlookers greeted him with cries of “G’day Harry”.
The sculptural pavilion sits behind a ceremonial fire pit within a circular field of basalt shards, anchored by a mirrored glass façade embedded with thousands of lenses. Designed by artist Daniel Boyd, the installation reflects visitors and the surrounding landscape while evoking the fragmented nature of memory and history.
Behind the façade, a quiet, curved space of black rammed earth invites contemplation, as light filters through the lenses to connect visitors with the land, the memorial and those who served.
Harry visits National War Memorial
Could Prince Harry’s presence tip the scales in Invictus Australia’s favour?
Invictus Australia wants to host the Invictus Games in 2031.
But first, it has to lodge a successful bid – an extensive, and expensive, process that relies on support from multiple stakeholders.
“It not an easy path and it’s not one that comes without cost,” says Invictus Australia chief executive Michael Hartung. During last year’s election campaign, the Coalition pledged $1.5 million for the bid’s development but Hartung is hoping the actual price tag will be “a lot less than that”.
Formal expressions of interest open in 2027, so Invictus Australia’s March declaration of intent to submit a bid was a big head start, and having Harry on the ground also can’t hurt the cause. Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 and is a patron of the organisation but doesn’t select the host country.
Photos from day two of Harry and Meghan’s tour
Harry kicks footy with the Bulldogs
Harry spent 20 minutes kicking the footy around with Western Bulldogs players Tom Liberatore, Adam Treloar and Matthew Kennedy at Mission Whitten Oval.
They discussed the differences between AFL and rugby before Harry ran across the field to kick the ball around with children.
“Good kick man,” he told one young boy. “It’s a slippery ball that.”
He also posed for photographs while holding a Western Bulldogs scarf.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
