It’s not every day you get an invitation to spend the afternoon with a Prince.
So, when Woman’s Day was offered the opportunity to spend the day in Canberra with Prince Harry as part of his Australian tour, I dusted off my best royal attire and headed to meet the man himself.
Our day started at a special Welcome to Country ceremony at the War Memorial. There was just a small crowd of around 50 people, but anticipation was high. As we waited for him to arrive, I felt weirdly nervous; as a Brit, I feel as though I’ve grown up with Harry. I watched his first day at school on the news, cried with my own mum as he walked behind Diana’s coffin, and watched on with my husband as he married Meghan in 2018.
As he walked into view, his gait was unmistakable. I hadn’t expected him to be so tall; he stands heads and shoulders above most of his small entourage, giving him a real air of authority. He greeted everyone warmly, shaking hands and chatting with the other veterans.
While he’s had years of experience making this sort of appearance, he looked interested and engaged throughout the whole ceremony. When the Aboriginal Elder spoke about how it’s important it is to keep “Country in your heart,” Harry appeared – tellingly given the last few years – moved, nodding in agreement. After laying a wreath, he took part in the traditional smoking ceremony, bending down to waft smoke from eucalyptus leaves on his shoulders and around his body. This is believed to ward off bad spirits and promote healing; perhaps apt when you think about everything he’s experienced.
“We shared a few stories,” Aboriginal Elder Michael Bell tells Woman’s Day. “He definitely likes a laugh.”
After visiting a private ‘yarning circle’, he made an appearance at the moving Last Post ceremony where he laid a wreath at the Pool of Reflection, stood shoulder to shoulder with school children, and looked emotional as he looked at the poppies on the wall.
But it was at a small event for Invictus Australia in the early evening that we saw the real Harry shine through. He founded the sports foundation in 2014, and is clearly passionate about the work it does. The room came alive when he entered – and boy, does he know how to work a room. There were hugs for everyone, pats for service dogs, and of course, special attention for any children.
Tiffany White won three medals in the 2018 Invictus Games and brought her young son, Brian, to meet Harry. Brian brought his toy helicopters to show the Prince. “He wanted to show him because he knows Harry used to be in the army,” she tells Woman’s Day. “Harry told him he should be a helicopter pilot- so now that’s what he wants to do.”
When he took to the stage, the whole room fell silent. But his trademark humour shone through straight away. “G’day everyone,” he chirped, much to the delight of the audience. He showed his love for Australia too, hinting that he’s keen for the Invictus Games to return to the country in 2031, joking that “he’s of course impartial,” so people should “put their brown envelopes stuffed with 50s away.”
He ended the day with a heartfelt message to veterans – something clearly close to his heart, and that he can relate to more than most.
“Your courage does not end when the uniform comes off,” he said. “Your recovery journeys, often unseen, are acts of strength in their own way. And to your families: your support, your resilience, your quiet sacrifices, they are very much central to this story too.”
It might not have been an official royal visit, but Harry showed that he’s definitely a Prince of men.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
