While Kensington Palace has already confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex will be heading to Australia in October for their first intercontinental trip since they tied the knot in May, it has now revealed just where Aussie royalists can catch a glimpse of the happy couple.
In addition to attending the Invictus Games in Sydney, people all across Australia will get a chance to see Prince Harry and the former Suits actress in the flesh. Releasing a statement overnight, the Palace revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will visit the Kingdom of Tonga and New Zealand in addition to their tour of Australia.
“Their Royal Highnesses have been invited to visit the Commonwealth Realms of Australia and New Zealand by the countries’ respective governments,” a statement read. “The Duke and Duchess will visit Fiji and Tonga at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.”
The Palace said the visit will focus on a variety of different things that both Prince Harry and Meghan hold close to their hearts.
“The programme across these four Commonwealth countries will focus on youth leadership, environmental and conservation efforts – including the dedication of several new Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy projects – and the recovery and rehabilitation of servicemen and women through the Invictus Games Sydney 2018,” it was confirmed.
It was also revealed that more details surrounding the exciting trip would be announced in due course.
The tour will kick off in Sydney on October 16 before the couple travel to Dubbo on the 17th and to Melbourne on the 18th. Harry and Meghan will then spend three more days in Sydney, before travelling to Fraser Island on October 21.
The pair will then depart Australia and spend two days in Fiji’s Suva, before visiting Nada and Nuku’alofa in Tonga. They’ll then jet back to Australia on the 27th for a final day in Sydney, before heading across the ditch to visit fans in Wellington, Abel Tasman, Auckland and Rotorua in New Zealand.
Australia’s former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said in June that Australia was excited to welcome the royal couple for the Invictus Games.
“As the founder of the Invictus Games, The Duke of Sussex has become a champion for war veterans around the world, including in Australia,” Turnbull said in a statement. “His attendance, alongside The Duchess of Sussex, will be a wonderful highlight for the more than 500 competitors and thousands of spectators. I know the Australian people will greet Their Royal Highnesses with great warmth and excitement wherever they go during their time here.”
Prince Harry created and is the patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, which runs the tournament, and has previously attended the games in other host cities.
Harry, who is a former veteran himself having completed two tours of Afghanistan, created the Paralympic-style games as a way to inspire wounded soldiers toward recovery.