Royals say they’ll return

Harry and Meghan have fallen for Fraser Island

ROYAL couple Harry and Meghan have vowed to return to Fraser Island after being dazzled by the tourism jewel and a rapturous Queensland welcome.

With the Prince Harry charm combined with the Meghan Markle sparkle, Queensland fans were wowed by royalty on home territory.

Pregnant Meghan was urged to skip the rough sand roads that cross Fraser, raising fears she might miss out on the island altogether.

Those fears were dispelled when a glowing Duchess arrived at Kingfisher Jetty by whale tour boat just before midday.

Prince Harry headed inland for a touching welcome to country and smoking ceremony at Pile Valley – a hallowed home for the local Butchulla people of towering satinay and other trees.

Harry emerged from the forest to cheers from the waiting guests, all shuttled there in a fleet of four-wheel buses.

Speaking ahead of unveiling Fraser Island joining the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, Prince Harry said the project was committed to raising awareness of the value of indigenous forest and to rainforest saving them for future generations.

“Put simply, without trees and forests we don’t survive. It is a symbiotic relationship and one that so many people still fail to realise,” he said in his dedication speech.

“As you all know too well, K’gari means paradise and that is certainly what we’ve experienced today.”

His main official job was to family,” he joked. Harry visited Lake McKenzie before being whisked to McKenzie’s Jetty, stopping to shake hands with Butchulla dancers and rangers.

Meghan drove out to the end of the pier with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to meet the Prince.

It was during a chat with the school captains from Urangan State High that the royal couple promised they would come return to Fraser Island.