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Harry and Meghan visit Bondi Beach, Harbour Bridge on day four of tour

Josh Dye and Helen Pitt & Cassandra Morgan
Updated ,first published

Summary

  • Harry and Meghan started day four of their Australian tour at Bondi Beach.
  • The royal pair then visited Macarthur Girls High School and watched a dance.
  • Later, Harry climbed the Harbour Bridge with Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
  • The royal pair then met with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten at Admiralty House.
  • The day concluded with Prince Harry and Meghan meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

That's a wrap on day four

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After a meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison at Kirribilli House, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's official schedule for day four of their Australian tour has come to an end. 

Tomorrow marks perhaps the most significant day of their tour, with the pair attending the first event of Prince Harry's Invictus Games - the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge - on Cockatoo Island at 9.30am. 

Later, Harry and Meghan will attend a reception at Bennelong Restaraunt at the Opera House. The structure's forecourt will serve as the site of the Invictus Games' opening ceremony at 7.30pm.

The couple will spend several hours watching the festivities, with the forecourt expected to be packed to the brim with participants from 18 competing nations. 

Royal watchers are expected to flock to the harbour to observe the event from a distance, which will also be broadcast on ABC 1. 

Scott Morrison's turn for a royal sit-down

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Following their meeting with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have met with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny at Kirribilli House.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny.AFP

It was the second time Prince Harry met the Prime Minister today, with the pair having climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge together earlier this afternoon to raise the Invictus Games flag.

Prince Harry, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and some Invictus Games competitors scale the Sydney Harbour Bridge.AP

Kensington Palace's official Twitter account tweeted a photo of the Duke of Sussex and the Prime Minister atop the structure, along with the Invictus Games competitors that accompanied them.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet with Bill Shorten

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have met with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and his wife Chloe Shorten at Admiralty House in Kirribilli.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and his wife Chloe.AFP

The couples had a seat in the house's meeting room in front of a media pack, Meghan still wearing the midi dress by Roksanda Ilincic that she wore to Macarthur Girls High School in Parramatta earlier this morning.

Prince Harry swapped his Invictus Games shirt and chinos, worn earlier this afternoon during the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, for a classic black suit and pale tie. 

The Duke of Sussex looked relieved to have a seat after climbing the bridge. He told the Opposition Leader, "There's a lot going on".

Prince Harry and Meghan are expected to meet with Prime Minister Scott Morrison later this evening.

Bill Shorten has pledged to hold a plebiscite on Australia becoming a republic if Labor wins the next federal election.

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Cars slow, beep their horns for Prince Harry's bridge climb

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The purpose of Prince Harry and Scott Morrison's Bridge Climb (aside from showing off Sydney at her finest), was to raise the official Invictus Games Flag before the Games begin tomorrow.

Prince Harry and Prime Minister Scott Morrison scale the Sydney Harbour Bridge.Channel 7

With a helicopter buzzing overhead, the Prince looked cheerful and happy to be bringing the focus back to the games, which features 500 competitors from 18 nations.

Small groups of onlookers gathered near the southern pylon, while cars slowed and beeped their horns for the Prince.

A crowd gathered to see the Duke of Sussex climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge.AAP

Watch: Prince Harry and Scott Morrison scale the Sydney Harbour Bridge

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The flag is raised

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The Invictus Games flag has been raised and now stands proudly alongside the Australian flag atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Prince Harry and Scott Morrison wait for the Invictus Games flag to be raised.Channel 7

Prince Harry, along with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, watched on as the flag, signalling the official start of the event in Australia, was mounted to the pole and pulled to the top.

The young royal appeared to joke and laugh with BridgeClimb personnel and other accompanying Invictus Games representatives as the flag went up.

The Invictus Games flag is mounted and raised on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.Channel 7
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Prince Harry and Scott Morrison start their Harbour Bridge ascent

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The bridge climb has begun and Prince Harry is powering up the structure while Prime Minister Scott Morrison lags slightly behind the young royal. 

Prince Harry and Prime Minister Scott Morrison start their Sydney Harbour Bridge climb.Channel 7

Harry is wearing what appear to be a pair of tan-coloured chinos, while the PM is donning an Invictus Games cap - possibly breaking BridgeClimb protocol. 

The pair stopped their ascent at one point, Scott Morrison turning around to give the Channel 7 chopper a quick wave and a grin.

Bridge climb begins - and what a day for it!

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Prince Harry and Prime Minister Scott Morrison have arrived via motorcade to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where they will climb the iconic structure. 

The motorcade arrives.Channel 7

The visiting royal was just visible at the base of the bridge from the Channel 7 chopper, wearing a harness and surrounded by BridgeClimb Sydney personell.

When they reach the top of the bridge, the pair will mount the Invictus Games flag, signalling the official start of the event in Australia. 

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The harbour city is currently sitting at 26 degrees and skies are clear - the perfect weather for the event!

'I felt like my heart stopped'

By Tim Barlass
One to share with the grandkids one day.AP

The reaction to the whirlwind visit was, perhaps unsurprisingly, overwhelming positive. Rhiannon, 15, said: “When they walked in I felt like my heart stopped. Their presence just made everyone shocked. I never thought this would actually happen at our school.”

After the dance routine, the royal couple went to the library to learn about a year 9 project about social justice and women and youth empowerment. Next, Harry and Meghan sat at school desks with 18 pupils in a classroom to learn about the NRL's In League In Harmony program focusing on building a positive sense of self, setting goals, appreciating diversity, developing communication skills and working with others to achieve common goals.

And then it was over. Just 30 minutes, but the girls were blown away. Maithly, 15, said: “It was a lovely experience and beyond anything I would have ever expected."

Nirel, also 15, said she was left “speechless”.

It was probably one of the quietest visits Prince Harry and Meghan will make with just a dozen or so women gathered at the end of the closed off street. Vi Lloyd said she thought the itinerary was quite hectic.

“They were in late from Melbourne and up early for Bondi. I am surprised she’s (Meghan) coping so well. If she’s got morning sickness, she’s getting over it and coping very well because she must be tired.”

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'Awful lot of work for a short visit'

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The best line of the day, surely, goes to the groundsman at Macarthur Girls school.

The man tasked with making the school look schmick ahead of the royal visit was Frank Wilson.

“I put in an awful lot of work for just a short visit,” Mr Wilson told Fairfax Media's Tim Barlass who was at the school. 

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