KIA ORA MEGHAN!
EIGHT OCCASIONS MEGHAN AND HARRY WON US OVER
The duchess wows the Pacific
It’s been a tour de force. So far, the first official trip together to the southern hemisphere for Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has been a huge success, with the newlyweds winning locals over with their warmth, compassion and down-to-earth attitudes.
Here are a handful of the times the couple – who are visiting New Zealand this week – endeared themselves to our Aussie, Fijian and Tongan neighbours during the first part of their whirlwind 16-day tour. 1 WHEN MEGHAN
DID SOME BAKING
It’s the royal visitors who are usually given the gifts, but when Meghan and Harry went to the rural town of Dubbo, the duchess took along a special treat for the farming family who hosted them for afternoon tea.
The talented royal gave the Woodley family banana bread that she had baked herself.
After a busy schedule in Sydney the day before, Meghan had spent her evening in the kitchen of Admiralty House, where she and Harry were staying, and whipped up the sweet treat. It included chocolate chips as well as a hint of ginger and was a huge hit with everyone who tried it. Meghan also took some Royal Blend Fortnum & Mason tea to the gathering.
2 WHEN HARRY WAS PATIENT WITH A FASCINATED SCHOOLBOY Schoolchildren chosen to meet Meghan and Harry in Dubbo were told there was to be no touching. However, little Luke Vincent couldn’t help himself and dispensed with the rules when Harry crouched down to talk to him. In a moment that melted hearts everywhere, the five-year-old, who has
Down syndrome, stroked and tugged Harry’s beard.
The patient prince didn’t flinch and he and Meghan both gave Luke warm hugs.
Luke’s teacher, Anne van Dartel, says Harry was very gracious and polite.
“We can only thank him so much for treating Luke, who didn’t understand the situation, with so much respect. The way Harry and Meghan interacted with him was just delightful.”
3 WHEN HARRY HUGGED A SOLDIER’S WIDOW Harry once again showed his incredible compassion when he met Gwen Cherne, the widow of an Aussie soldier who took his own life last year. While the pair were part of a group climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, he took time to talk to Gwen (41) about grief, and to listen as she spoke about her husband, Peter Cafe, a special forces officer who served in Cambodia, Afghanistan and Iraq. When his staff suggested it was time to “wrap things up” with Gwen, the caring former soldier refused.
“I’m in the middle of a conversation and I’m not going to leave this,” he declared.
Gwen, an ambassador for the Invictus Games, says,
“We were talking about my story and mental health, and how difficult it is still, in our society, to talk about grief and loss and suicide.”
4 WHEN THEY WENT BAREFOOT ON BONDI
It was a major breach of protocol – royals are supposed to keep their shoes on during official engagements except for religious reasons – but Meghan and Harry didn’t hesitate to whip their footwear off during a visit to Bondi Beach.
The pair were at the iconic Sydney location to meet surfing group OneWave, which helps people deal with mental health issues. After ditching their shoes, the couple joined an “anti-bad vibe circle” sitting on yoga mats on the sand, and later shared a group hug.
Harry was praised for his openness about his mental health battles, and Meghan revealed how getting up at 4.30am to practise yoga helped her stay calm and focused.
Harry also took his shoes off
and rolled his trousers up to wade into Lake McKenzie during a trip to Fraser Island. 5
WHEN THEY HONOURED THE PAST IN FIJI
When Harry and Meghan stepped out onto their hotel balcony on their first night in
Fiji to wave to hundreds of royal fans who had gathered outside, the moment held an extra-special meaning. More than 50 years ago, the Queen and Prince Philip greeted crowds from the same spot during her 1953 coronation tour of Commonwealth nations.
Meghan later won over crowds at the University of the South Pacific in a stunning pink Figue Frederica frock – and she carried a locally made woven clutch. 6
WHEN HARRY MADE A FAN’S DAY
Harry broke protocol yet again when he spotted fan India Brown in the crowd at one of his Melbourne engagements. He noticed her sign, which read, “Been here since 4am, loved u since I was 8,” and went to talk to her. When the excited 19-year-old asked for a hug – even though it was against the rules – the prince didn’t hesitate to oblige.
“Oh, you’re going to get me in trouble,” he told India, before reaching across the barricade to grant her request. The teenager burst into tears, later telling reporters that the hug was phenomenal. “It was like a full-blown squeeze.” 7
WHEN MEGHAN CHOSE KIWI DESIGNERS
Even before arriving in
New Zealand, Meghan was supporting our designers.
She donned an elegant black dress by UK-based Kiwi designer Emilia Wickstead for an unveiling ceremony at Sydney’s Hyde Park. The park’s war memorial honours the ANZACs, so wearing a dress made by a New Zealander was a subtle but thoughtful way of also paying tribute to our
contribution to World War I.
Meghan then turned to
Karen Walker when it came to choosing sunglasses for her trip to Fraser Island and the earrings she wore to Bondi. 8 WHEN THEY SHARED THOSE LOOKS OF LOVE The wedding may have been five months ago but the honeymoon is clearly not over. Harry and Meghan are not shy about showing how much they’re in love. They frequently held hands on official visits and there were many tender touches, with Harry often putting a gentle hand on Meghan’s back. Similarly, she wasn’t able to keep her hands off Harry, often reaching out with affectionate gestures, like tweaking his ear while they were sitting on the beach at Bondi.
And as for those looks of love – the adoring smiles and the way they gaze into each other’s eyes makes it clear that this is the real deal.
Judy Kean