MEGHAN WON’T LET IT RAIN ON HARRY’S PARADE
HARRY and Meghan received a huge reception yesterday in an Australian town – with the biggest welcome coming from one of its tiniest locals.
Five-year-old Luke Vincent rushed excitedly forward from the ranks of well-wishers to greet the royal visitors and give them both warm hugs.
And Luke, whose “favourite person” is Santa Claus, couldn’t resist playfully stroking Harry’s beard – prompting beaming smiles from the couple.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were met by 150 flag-waving schoolchildren at the airport as they flew into Dubbo, New South Wales.
The visit was a huge morale boost to the agricultural district 250 miles west of Sydney, where farmers have been battling a disastrous drought.
They had only just arrived when Luke, a kindergarten pupil at Buninyong Public School, darted up.
The school’s principal, Anne Van Dartel, said: “He got a hug from Meghan and then Harry bent down to speak to him and Luke didn’t give him any choice!
“Luke’s favourite person in the world is Santa Claus, who has a beard. So he rubbed Harry’s beard.
“It’s been a wonderful experience for these little country kids to meet people they’ve only ever seen on TV.”
The couple spent around 15 minutes shaking hands and hugging youngsters, with Meghan accepting several posies.
James Fogg, 11, from Eumungerie Public School, which has just nine students, told Harry he wanted to be a helicopter pilot.
The Duke, a former Apache attack chopper flier himself, replied: “Good choice, good man.”
Adrenalin
Five-year-old Lyra Rose, of Dubbo South Public School, said: “It’s the first time I have met a princess and I will remember it forever.”
School captain Mali HopkinsDavies, 12, said: “Harry asked us when we’d had rain. They seemed to know a lot about the drought.”
Millie Sutcliffe, 10, added: “I said congratulations on the baby and they thanked me. I said, ‘I love you guys’.”
Lachlan Eddy and Tyson Salt, both 12 and from Dubbo West Public School, had Meghan in stitches with some energetic dance moves.
On the second day of their first major international tour together, pregnant Meghan revealed she was “running on adrenalin” and planning to undertake all 76 engagements on the 16-day trip.
On a visit to Mountain View farm the couple were hosted by the Woodley family, who have been there for five generations.
Meghan impressed them by bringing a gift of a banana cake she baked the night before while staying at Admiralty House, the Australian Governor General’s home in Sydney.
The couple fed animals and had tea with several members of the family including farmer Richard Woodley, his granddaughter Laura, newest addition 13-month-old Ruby Carroll and her mother Emily. Today the royals return to Sydney to take part in a clean-up at famed Bondi Beach before gearing up to launch the Invictus Games at the weekend.