Harry & Meghan: Tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand - October 2018

[Fros]

I think what made today more difficult to keep up with than the rest was that it all happened very quickly and close together.

From one engagement to another there was barely time to process. It was reported earlier on in the day that the couple would only be in Melbourne for 4 hours but I think due to the traffic and changes in schedule it tuned into 5.5 hours.

It's hard to choose the highlight it felt like a true whirlwind visit where the couple came, the crowds and the madness started and from start to finish it just went by in a massive rush.

It's only now that actual stories about what happened and what people said are coming out in more detail. I expect once we have a few more hours to process everything we will start to see a few stand out stories from this visit.

The emotional fan who cried when Harry hugged her already seems to a great highlight. In a great way the highlights always seems to come back to the interesting people and characters they meet.

I must admit the couple and the people that come out to meet them in this tour really do have a wonderful energy that not only feeds off each other but tries to give the love and the warmth back both ways.

Harry and Meghan also seem very relaxed and casual in this tour in a way that seems to be very much in tune with the country itself. It will be interesting to see how they are in other countries.

[Sun Lion]

Just coming up to 6.00pm here, the thunder storm has passed and they must be back at Admiralty House.

(The security helicopter was back hovering overhead.)

[Tarlita]

Originally Posted by Sun Lion

Seeing Meghan handle that football Tarlita. That's not easy to do - the balll could have gone off in any direction.

And Meghan looking at the street art on the side of the cafe before the others joined her.

They both look so engaged with people and with what is happening.

I'm really looking forward to the coming days - this tour just seems so warm and happy.

Your choices are interesting Sun Lion. I haven't decided yet as I still have to catch up with what happened today.

[Sun Lion]

Originally Posted by Tarlita

Your choices are interesting Sun Lion. I haven't decided yet as I still have to catch up with what happened today.

It just struck me - Meghan looking at the alleyway wall at the Charcol Cafe, as the rest of the party were still getting mobilised and catching up with her.

Wearing her coat - did she have her hands in her pockets - probably not, but just that image of a young women, in a trench coat, exploring a city, hair loose, the angle of her head as she took in the image. I was just really taken with that.

Like the love under the umbrella moments of yesterday, this alleyway image was striking.

(Only photos I've seen have the whole group there, this was on the live TV footage.)

I thought she was very game to have a go with the football. The heels of her shoes so narrow, how did she manage that lawn.

Both of them really engaging with everyone - really present.

And so much hand-holding - even quite intricate behind the back double hand-holding.

There are some nice photos where they seem to be just the two of them, despite the crowds all around. Leaning into each other, sharing an exchange.

Another big day tomorrow to look forward to.

[wyevale]

dress said to be "Ginger and Smart"

NOT 'smart' enough to have a hidden zip...

[Terri Terri]

Originally Posted by wyevale

NOT 'smart' enough to have a hidden zip...

The navy dress is from Australian designer Dion Lee.

[Pranter]

Not a fan of exposed zippers myself. I think it makes the dress look cheap or unfinished.


LaRae

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by Sun Lion

They both look so engaged with people and with what is happening.

I'm really looking forward to the coming days - this tour just seems so warm and happy.

Sometimes reading other people's ideas of how things are puts songs into my head. In this case, its a line from a Gordon Lightfoot tune I really love and to me, it describes Harry and Meghan so well. "Rainy day people don't hide love inside, they just pass it on." The love between the two of them is impossible to miss and its so strong and deep that it seems to cover just about everyone they meet. Its contagious. And, as an aside to Piers Morgan, its impossible to fake.

One thing we don't have to worry about watching this tour is the fear a lot of people seemed to express at the very beginning of this relationship between Harry and Meghan and that is that she would never be accepted by the people. She's not only being accepted but she's also being embraced and called their own. Especially the children. Kids are shrewd judges of good people and bad people and both Harry and Meghan are kid magnets.

Yeps... this tour has been a very warm and happy one and there's much more to come.

[jacqui24]

One of my favorite picture from yesterday. I think the natural light hit just the right spots.

https://twitter.com/royalfocus1/stat...44725106036737


Remember the man that gave Meghan the big flowers and Harry came over and said "you can't give flower that big to my wife"? He was interviewed on The Morning Show. I think the Aussies have been so awesome to the Sussexes. It's one of my favorite tours, if not the favorite.

https://twitter.com/morningshowon7/s...01683078197248

[Curbside]

This one of my favorites. I'm a romance author, and all my author friends are ohhing and ahhhing over this one:

https://peopledotcom.files.wordpress...1052337386.jpg

[Pranter]

There's a couple of them under the umbrella better than that one IMO..due to expressions.


LaRae

[An Ard Ri]

TRH The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Melbourne Beach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKkd7-vo-Do

[Fros]

I must say reading the articles from this visit and the videos. Australia is going to be a tough act to follow.

Seeing Australian radio shows get in on the fun is an unexpected highlight.

The press coverage in Australia has been very good and very in-depth really truly focusing on the people there while the British press also has some pretty good coverage you also have to sift through articles about how Harry had his phone in his pocket and Meghan had her phone in her hand before getting on the plane.

[Zaira]

I have been blown away by the Australian press coverage as well. I am also extremely surprised by how...almost over the top sugary it is.

What I think this tour has also established is that Harry remains a massively beloved figure in his own right. I feel like the past couple of British men to get married in the senior line (Charles/Will) just got totally eclipsed by their partners (although of course William remains extremely popular), but Harry hasn't. People love Meghan and there is definitely Meg Mania, but people want to see Harry almost as much. I guess because he had years of establishing an independent profile.

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Zaira

What I think this tour has also established is that Harry remains a massively beloved figure in his own right. I feel like the past couple of British men to get married in the senior line (Charles/Will) just got totally eclipsed by their partners (although of course William remains extremely popular), but Harry hasn't. People love Meghan and there is definitely Meg Mania, but people want to see Harry almost as much. I guess because he had years of establishing an independent profile.

Agreed. That was very clear in the walkabout yesterday outside of the Governor's House, more so than any other time I think. And it wasn't all just about the clothes, although that is a topic of interest still. Let's face it, that's a big part of why the women start eclipsing the men.

I loved the speech Harry had in Dubbo. I thought the rain actually made it even better. You can tell he wasn't as restrained as he is when he gives a speech at a formal dinner or reception. He knew there was a lot of noise from the rain, and he projected very well. I thought the energy he added to that made it so amazing and mesmerizing. And seeing the support they are to each other and their belief in the causes was also amazing. Some of those of those things might not have been as evident if they didn't have to deal with the rain. Meghan would've been further back and Harry wouldn't have projected as much to overcome the noise. It just came together perfect.

Another embargoed engagement later today.

Rebecca English
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There’s a secret engagement later that I can’t tell you about for security reasons. And then this afternoon Prince Harry will climb Sydney Harbour Bridge to launch @InvictusSydney which starts tomorrow. Afterwards he’ll call on the leader of the opposition and the Prime Minister.

[Fros]

The Dubbo speech was definitely one of the highlights of the tour. The irony of standing in the rain and talking about the drought wasn't lost on anyone there or around the world.

I am glad they emphasized how the occasional rainfall or the grass we saw at the Woodley farm doesn't repair the damage the damage done by the droubt.

Underneath the grass is parched earth one news coverage called it.

Harry giving the speech while an official holds the umbrella gives a much more distant, official and privileged image than just his wife holding it for him.

Even in the visit where in the rain Harry and Meghan were just watching standing under an umbrella today made it seem like they were simply there as part of the community rather than an official dignatories.

There are times to play the dignitary and sometimes to just be there as a part of the community lending an ear.

The Dubbo visit they was dancing on a fine line that they did beautifully.

[jacqui24]

PM Scott Morrison is expected to bring his daughters to meet with Meghan and Harry later in the day based on his comments to 7 News.

[Zaira]

What is it with Australian PMs and bringing their daughter's to meet Harry lol?

[Fros]

Roya just gave an interview that highlighted what we spoke about here.

How Australia in particular really seems to feel almost an ownership of Harry simply because he was there for a bit growing up and has been back a few times so Australia tends to have a soft spot for Harry.

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by Fros

The Dubbo speech was definitely one of the highlights of the tour. The irony of standing in the rain and talking about the drought wasn't lost on anyone there or around the world.

I am glad they emphasized how the occasional rainfall or the grass we saw at the Woodley farm doesn't repair the damage the damage done by the droubt.

Underneath the grass is parched earth one news coverage called it.

Harry giving the speech while an official holds the umbrella gives a much more distant, official and privileged image than just his wife holding it for him.

Even in the visit where in the rain Harry and Meghan were just watching standing under an umbrella today made it seem like they were simply there as part of the community rather than an official dignatories.

There are times to play the dignitary and sometimes to just be there as a part of the community lending an ear.

The Dubbo visit they was dancing on a fine line that they did beautifully.

I don't know about the rest of the world, or even Australia, but I do know that in the Central West of NSW - where Dubbo is - this sort of situation is described as a 'green drought'. It looks good but the reality is that it is going to be a short amount of green and then back to nothing unless the rain continues - and it also needs to fall in the right places, and slowly not in buckets but in drizzles. If it isn't filling the dams it is fairly useless in the long term (same as all the rain in Sydney - if it isn't in the catchment for the dams we could be facing water restrictions. Warragamba - the main dam for Sydney was at 92% capacity on the 1st January and is now at 66% while Nepean has dropped from the 80% level to 50% now - it hasn't gone up with all the rain recently as it isn't falling in the catchment area). The same thing i is happening in a lot of these rural areas - falling on the ground but then running off to nothing and not into the dams.

We are facing a very bad bush fire season over the coming summer

Please continue to pray, if that is your belief, or whatever you may do, for rain in the right places for Australia and its farmers - and elsewhere in the world were rain is needed.

Originally Posted by Fros

Roya just gave an interview that highlighted what we spoke about here.

How Australia in particular really seems to feel almost an ownership of Harry simply because he was there for a bit growing up and has been back a few times so Australia tends to have a soft spot for Harry.

The interesting thing with that is that he spent less time here during his gap year than Charles did during his school years but there is no where near the same feelings about Charles.

There is no 'soft spot' for Charles and he was here as a teenager, credits his time here with helping come to deal with his destiny, has been back many times and really is barely noticed (yes the real royal fans turn out to see him but for the future King he simply doesn't rate).

Australians can be fickle and Harry may very well find that Aussies change their attitude towards him as George etc grow and become the focus of the public's interest.