Prince Harry and Meghan Markle touched down in Melbourne on Tuesday morning to commence a four-day tour of Australia, with their opening engagement taking them to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Several hundred patients and their families gathered to welcome the couple, who spent nearly 40 minutes greeting the crowd, posing for photographs and speaking with young cancer patients.
The visit held particular significance for the Duke, as his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II had opened the hospital in 1963 and returned in 2011 when it relocated to new premises. King Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, also visited the facility in 1985.
Among the young patients who greeted the Duchess of Sussex was four-year-old Lily, who presented her with a pink knitted flower.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle touched down in Melbourne on Tuesday morning to commence a four-day tour of Australia, with their opening engagement taking them to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
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Several hundred patients and their families gathered to welcome the couple, who spent nearly 40 minutes greeting the crowd, posing for photographs and speaking with young cancer patients.
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“How old are you?” the Duchess asked. “Four? My daughter Lili is also four.”
Lily’s mother shared that her daughter had been born just one day before Princess Lilibet in June 2021.
Eight-year-old Enuara, seated in a wheelchair, also offered a plastic flower to the Duchess of Sussex.
“Is that for me? Thank you, so sweet,” she replied, embracing both girls.
The duchess wore an ink navy Priscilla dress by Australian designer Karen Gee, priced at $1,250 (£655). A press release confirmed she had “personally selected” pieces from the designer’s collection for the week’s engagements.
The duchess wore an ink navy Priscilla dress by Australian designer Karen Gee during the engagement.
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The couple participated in a garden therapy session alongside teenage patients, the majority of whom were receiving treatment for eating disorders.
A therapist guided them to pause and reflect, saying: “Take a moment to just arrive, close your eyes and know that the next few minutes are just for you.”
The Duke of Sussex praised the facility, remarking: “The energy of this place is incredible.”
On the acute oncology rehabilitation ward, they met 17-year-old Hamish and 15-year-old Joseph, who has leukaemia. Joseph showed them photographs of his fishing catches on his phone.
The couple participated in a garden therapy session alongside teenage patients
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Following the 90-minute hospital visit, which ran significantly over schedule, the Duke of Sussex returned to his hotel whilst the Duchess of Sussex travelled to McAuley Community Services for Women.
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Meghan remains patron of Smart Works, a charity offering interview clothing and training to long-term unemployed women, a role she took on during her time as a working royal.
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The couple also received toy meerkats in hospital scrubs for their children.
Following the 90-minute hospital visit, which ran significantly over schedule, the Duke of Sussex returned to his hotel whilst the Duchess of Sussex travelled to McAuley Community Services for Women.
The organisation provides support to women and children affected by family violence and homelessness, aligning with the Duchess of Sussex’s longstanding advocacy for women’s equality and empowerment.
Meghan remains patron of Smart Works, a charity offering interview clothing and training to long-term unemployed women, a role she took on during her time as a working royal.
The couple had arrived in Melbourne on a commercial flight from Los Angeles, travelling business class and departing through VIP arrivals without a police escort.