In brief
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Australian visit is seen as an experiment for the couple’s commercial activities.
- Unlike the couple’s 2018 visit, when they spent nine days travelling across Australia, this one is privately funded.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are embarking on their Australian tour, and their visit is shaping up to be both a royal engagement and a unique commercial endeavor.
On Wednesday, Prince Harry and Meghan continued their itinerary with a series of engagements, starting with a meeting with charity leaders at the headquarters of Melbourne’s AFL team, the Western Bulldogs. Following this, Prince Harry traveled to Canberra to participate in ceremonies at the Australian War Memorial.
During his time at Whitten Oval in Footscray, Prince Harry attended a special event for Movember, a charity focused on men’s health. As a guest of honor, he joined a panel discussion alongside Zac Seidler, the Global Director of Research at the Movember Institute of Men’s Health.
In a candid moment, Prince Harry shared his personal experiences regarding mental health, particularly after becoming a father. “I definitely experienced a sense of disconnection because my wife was the one bringing new life into the world, and I was there as a witness,” he reflected.
He continued to express a common sentiment among new fathers: “For many guys, you ponder what role you can fulfill at this moment, knowing that to some degree, your contribution is complete.”
“And I think for many guys, you try to think about, what service can I provide at this point, because my work here is done to some extent.”
Dad to Prince Archie, six, and four-year-old Princess Lilibet, Harry said he saw his role as fostering the next generation, although he steered clear of making any direct references to his own father, King Charles, from whom he is estranged.
“I see parenting evolving over time. I think it always has, just as much as from my perspective, our kids are our upgrade,” he said.
“That’s not how I was taught but that was my take on it.”
After a Q&A session, Harry joined Western Bulldogs players, including Tom Liberatore, Adam Treloar and Matthew Kennedy on the field for a chat and a kick of the footy.
Outside, crowds gathered for a glimpse of the prince, including parents who watched on after dropping their children off at the childcare centre next door.
After the event, Harry flew to Canberra, where he attended the Australian War Memorial to pay tribute to Australia’s military veterans and those killed in action.
Dressed in a dark suit and wearing his service medals, Harry — who served in the British Army and completed two tours of Afghanistan — took part in a brief wreath-laying ceremony before entering the memorial for a private tour of the museum.
The duchess’ plans for the day were not made public, although the pair will be side by side again when Harry jets back to Melbourne later on Wednesday.
It is expected the couple will take the Scar Tree Walk, a cultural journey connecting traditional and contemporary Aboriginal cultures.
The pair will fly to Sydney on Thursday, where Meghan will headline an exclusive three-day women’s retreat pitched as a “girls weekend like no other” with tickets starting at $2,699.
The duke and duchess will end their trip in Sydney where they will sail around the harbour and attend a rugby match.
The four-day visit could be mistaken for an official royal tour with its charitable appearances, hospital visits, and fanfare, although the pair are no longer working royals and are visiting in a private capacity.
The visit is not unusual, according to University of Sydney history professor and monarchy expert Cindy McCreery, who told the Australian Associated Press it was likely for marketing purposes.
“The fact they have chosen Australia as the place to do this activity, it does reflect that way that Australia could add to their brand,” McCreery said.
“We also need to be aware that their options are somewhat limited, they could not do this trip in Britain. That absolutely would not be supported.
“Australia’s an experiment and it will be interesting to see whether this leads to future visits to other countries, with the same kind of combination of charitable and commercial activities.”
The visit marks the couple’s first since 2018, when they spent nine days travelling across Australia.
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