The Duke and Duchess of Sussex head off on their first overseas tour as a married couple in just a few weeks’ time and we now have more details on just what Harry and Meghan will get up to when they visit Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. The tour, which takes place between October 16th and 31st, has a packed itinerary and Royal Central is breaking it down for you in easy to enjoy chunks, starting with Australia. Be warned, this is is busy you’re going to need a cuppa, just reading about it is going to wear you out.
Day One – Sydney
The royal couple are given an official reception at the home of the Governor General of Australia, Sir Peter Cosgrove, where they will also meet representatives from the eighteen countries taking part in the Invictus Games in Sydney. They then head off to Taronga Zoo to hear about work against the illegal wildlife trade and visit the Sydney Opera House. The evening includes a reception hosted by the Governor General. Oh, and there’s a walkabout too.
Day Two – Dubbo, New South Wales
There’s a 300 kilometre flight from Sydney to deal with before Harry and Meghan touch down to hear about the work of the Flying Doctor Service. The couple will also see the work going on to help local communities affected by the recent droughts. Harry and Meghan will visit a school with a focus on how sport helps overall attainment. Expect royals playing basketball.
Day Three – Melbourne
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex start their day with a reception for young leaders then head to a social enterprise café which focuses on mentoring and training for young members of the Aboriginal community. The afternoon includes a royal visit to a primary school and a stint on the beach to hear about conservation.
Day Four – Sydney
It’s beach time. Harry and Meghan’s return to Sydney will see them head to Bondi where the focus is on how sport and recreation help with mental health issues. Later on, they head to a youth advocate programme where they will hear about work linked to social justice. And then it’s Invictus. The Duke of Sussex will climb Sydney Harbour Bridge to raise the Invictus flag to mark the arrival of the Games in the city. Harry and Meghan end their day with visits to the Prime Minister of Australia and the country’s Leader of the Opposition.
Day Five and Six – Sydney
The next couple of days are all about Invictus with highlights including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex officially opening this third running of the event. They’ll also get the chance to watch plenty of events including sailing and cycling.
Day Seven – Fraser Island
Harry and Meghan visit K’gari, as it’s known to the Traditional Owners of the island, the Butchulla People, to dedicate part of the site to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy. As well as visiting the rainforest, they will meet members of the local community, hear about trade and culture in the area and then travel to Kingfisher Bay.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex then leave Australia for Fiji and Tonga before a brief return on October 26th when they will attend the Australian Geographic Society Awards recognising achievements in conservation.
They will also spend October 27th 2018 in Sydney for the final day of the Invictus Games. Harry and Meghan will watch some wheelchair basketball before helping bring the curtain down at the closing ceremony where both will give speeches.
The royal tour moves to New Zealand after that – you can find details of that stint as well as the time the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will spend in Fiji and Tonga here.
