Harry And Meghan’s First Royal Tour Is The Same As Charles And Diana’s
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s first royal tour will mirror that of Harry’s parents.
Kensington Palace today released an announcement in which they confirm where the Duke and Duchess will travel for their first official overseas trip. This will be the first royal trip for the couple after their wedding in May, and the trip will include visits to Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand in October.
The tour will also mark a big milestone for the newest royal, Meghan, who just fulfilled another royal rite of passage with her first appearance at Trooping the Colour on Saturday. What is interesting about the trip is that the couple will follow in the footsteps of Prince Harry’s parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, whose first royal tour was to Australia and New Zealand in 1983.
During Diana and Charles’ visit, the royal couple traveled 23,601 miles and spent 41 days overseas. During their trip, they managed to visit the Sydney Opera House, Ayers Rock, and Alice Springs, along with visits to Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand.
Harry and Meghan’s won’t be the only royal couple that has traveled down under in recent years. His brother, the Duke of Cambridge, and his wife, Kate Middleton spent around two weeks in the two countries in April 2014. After their tour, which included Prince George’s first royal engagements, Kensington Palace said the couple had been “bowled over by the extraordinarily warm welcome shown to them”. They also posed in front of Ayers Rock in a spot similar to one where Charles and Diana stood 30 years previously.
We don’t know much about the planned trip, but it is most likely that Harry and Meghan’s visit will coincide with the fourth Invictus Games which will be held in Sydney from 20 – 28 October.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the couple should expect to be welcomed with open arms when the sporting event begins.
“As the founder of the Invictus Games, the Duke of Sussex has become a champion for war veterans around the world, including in Australia,” he 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.”