Harry fever has certainly hit Canberra this morning and no wonder.
The bachelor Prince of Hearts spent much longer than expected greeting the more than 1000 crowd who had gathered to meet him outside the War Memorial.
Just before he came out, the heavens opened but when the soldier Prince walked down the steps to his meet Aussie fans he brushed aside the offer of an umbrella from one his aides.
Nothing was going to get between him and those who had happily waited for two hours in the Canberra chill and drizzle. He immediately reached for the children and shook as many hands as he could reaching two or three back into the crowd to shouts of “Harry, Harry”.
“He had such soft hands, and those eyes…wow,” Karuna Henderson, 19 from Canberra, tells The Weekly after meeting Harry.
“He’s definitely my favourite royal, I love him. I think it was so great that he spent time talking to all the kids as he went round and that he came here to the War Memorial in Canberra, which is such an amazing place. He could have gone to Sydney but it clearly means something to him to come here. He’s so natural and normal.”
The Prince switched from one side to the other as cheers pulled him across the War Memorial forecourt. As the rain set in his sodden royal aides tried to motion Harry towards the waiting vehicles but he wouldn’t budge and wanted to greet as many Aussies as possible. Finally with a salute to Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove he left for Duntroon and his Aussie tour of duty.
Prince Harry happily meeting onlookers who waited in the rain in Canberra.
Harry joking with children in Canberra who made sign “Red Heads Rule!”
Prince Harry smiles for photos with the crowd.
Arriving in Canberra this morning.
The Prince met with officials at the Australian War Memorial before laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and touring the World War I and Afghanistan galleries.
A crowd of more than 1000 onlookers wait to meet the Prince.
The 30-year-old royal will join ADF regiments in Darwin, Perth and Sydney during his month-long stay.
Harry greeting his littlest fans at The Australian War Memorial.
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