Awkward moment Channel Seven reporter ambushes an unimpressed Prince Harry for a selfie before he’s shooed away by security on third day of Sussexes’ Aussie tour
Prince Harry appeared to grimace as he was cornered by a television reporter for a awkward selfie during an event in Melbourne on Thursday.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne’s Fitzroy Gardens, where they were given a tour of the protected cultural heritage site.
It was an event steeped in the history of ‘Narrm’, the Indigenous name for the city, and was meant to share the long cultural heritage within its landscape.
But after a brief walk through the area, Harry, 41, was ambushed by Channel 7 television reporter Paul Dowsley, who excitedly tried to snap a selfie with the Prince.
At the start of the tour, the couple’s communications director, Liam Maguire, was seen engaging in several friendly conversations with the reporter.
But things began to sour when Dowsley continually photobombed Harry and Meghan while they were being filmed by PA Media for press coverage in the UK.
It culminated in an awkward moment between the reporter and the Prince, who appeared to prod Dowsley out of the way of Meghan’s path.
He told the Daily Mail that the interactions with Harry were all good-humoured, and that the Duke had even complimented him on his flowered tie.
‘I suppose it’s a break in protocol to ask for a selfie with a royal but he told me that I’m always so well-dressed,’ he said.
The Duke and Duchess are expected to fly to Sydney later on Thursday.
Channel 7 reporter sparks chaos after trying to snap a selfie with Prince Harry
Near the conclusion of the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne, which lasted barely half an hour, a Channel 7 TV reporter tried to get a selfie with Harry – sparking chaos.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s communications director Liam Maguire was previously seen engaging in several friendly conversations with Paul Dowsley.
However, the reporter began to attract the attention of the couple’s staff as he darted in and out of camera shots during PA Media’s filming of Harry and Meghan for UK audiences.
It culminated in an awkward moment between the reporter and the Prince on Thursday morning, who appeared to prod Dowsley out of the way of Meghan’s path as he tried to snap a selfie.
After wearing a snappy blue suit the day before, Dowsley was dressed in a beige suit for his attempted duchal selfie paired with a flowered tie.
He told the Daily Mail that the interactions with Harry were all good-humoured, and that the Duke had even complimented him on his bold tie choice.
‘I suppose it’s a break in protocol to ask for a selfie with a royal, but he told me that I’m always so well-dressed,’ he said.
The energetic former Kyle & Jackie O producer, who once worked for TV comic Bert Newton, has been present at every Sussex venue trying to get exclusives.
He was seen being ushered away by a burly security guard, known as ‘Chris from Texas’ by reporters following the tour, as the couple stepped out for an event at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum on Tuesday night.
Meghan’s glam outfit change for mental health centre
The Duke and Duchess have visited the Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Program, Batyr, on the grounds of Swinburne University.
The event has seen them discuss therapies that empower young people to talk openly about mental health and take charge of their wellbeing.
While Meghan sported a more casual look on Thursday morning, she stepped out in Hawthorn wearing a khaki shift dress, The Anya, which retails on Friends with Frank for $389.
She paired the look with black stiletto heels and dark tights, accessoring with simple gold rings and, once again, a gold Cartier Tank Française watch, thought to have belonged to Prince Harry’s mother, the late Princess Diana.
The timepiece sells for $48,000 new, though Meghan’s would likely be priceless.
After the couple entered the centre, they could be seen smiling and hugging staff.
Aussies slam café’s AI pic of the Sussexes
An AI image of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at a Melbourne a café has been slammed by Aussies online.
Beachside Bakehouse in San Remo, a coastal town south of the city, published a picture of the couple sitting outside the café holding mugs of coffee.
Meghan Markle appears to be wearing an outfit she was seen wearing during their royal visit in 2018.
Some commenters also pointed out that it must be AI because ‘Harry has less hair’.
The picture also fails to fit in with the couple’s itinerary, which did not include anywhere near San Remo on Wednesday.
The Duke visited Whitten Oval in Footscray before travelling to Canberra and back.The Duchess quietly made an appearance on MasterChef Australia.
‘Just your casual Tuesday at the Bakehouse… until Harry and Meghan roll in,’ the bakehouse said in its caption.
‘We always said we were fit for royalty… just didn’t think they’d actually take us up on it.
‘Low-key thinking we might need to rename it The Royal Bakehouse now… what do we reckon?’
But the ‘cheeky’ post has been blasted by social media users.
‘Good luck on getting more customers. Not everyone likes this couple. They’re not going to turn up just because of them,’ one person wrote.
Another quipped: ‘Coffee in a mug… no class’, while a third said there was ‘nothing royal here’ and that the café was ‘fake flexing’.
The Daily Mail has contacted Beachside Bakehouse for comment.
Harry stops for a chat with red-haired Heidi
The Duke of Sussex paused along Melbourne’s Scar Tree Walk to greet three-year-old Heidi, a fellow redhead.
Prince Harry met the little girl and her father, Rohan Davies, while taking part in an event celebrating both the traditional and modern Aboriginal cultures and histories of the Kulin Nation.
He could be seen patting Heidi’s head and smiling as Mr Davies snapped a photo.
Earlier this week, the 41-year-old was spotted in another heartwarming exchange, this time with a redheaded boy at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
‘Yes! Gingers rule!’ he told the crowd on Tuesday.
Meghan sends subtle message of support to her best friend with ‘Mama’ t-shirt
The Duchess of Sussex was spotted wearing a t-shirt on the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne, which understood to have been designed by a close friend.
For an event steeped in the history of ‘Narrm’, the Indigenous name for the city, and the long cultural heritage within its landscape, Meghan Markle sported a t-shirt emblazoned with a bright red love heart and the word ‘Mama’.
The limited edition tee was released by the charity Alliance of Moms, which is headed by her best friend Kelly McKee Zajfen – who appeared on Meghan’s Netflix series ‘With Love, Meghan’.
Funds from the t-shirt sales go towards supporting young parents in foster care.
Meghan paired the t-shirt with bootleg blue jeans and a camel coat in a more casual look for Thursday morning.
Prince Harry had been styled to complement her outfit, with a blue shirt and black jeans.
Harry and Meghan visit the Scar Tree Walk
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their first visit on Thursday morning to the Koorie Heritage Trust Birrarung Building at Federation Square for the Scar Tree Walk.
Greeted by traditional owners carrying possum fur objects and a boomerang, Meghan chatted with a young boy.
At one point, the Duchess could be heard saying to him: ‘Do you know Diary of a Wombat? I love that book.’
The group ambled down to the Yarra River and crossed the William Barak Bridge.
The walk is the site of one of Melbourne’s six traditional scarred trees, which are more than 200-years-old.
Meghan Markle will be guest-starring on the new season of MasterChef Australia and fans of the beloved series are not happy.
Channel 10 took to Instagram on Wednesday evening to make the announcement, alongside an image of the Duchess of Sussex smiling proudly alongside judges Jean-Christophe Novelli, Poh Ling Yeow and Sofia Levin.
‘We’re welcoming someone SUPER special into the MasterChef Kitchen,’ the caption began.
‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, makes a special guest appearance this season as she returns to Australia for the first time since 2018,’ it continued.
MasterChef Australia also shared footage of the moment Poh introduces Megan to this year’s cast.
Meghan exuded confidence and style as she strode onto the MasterChef set in a sleek black ensemble.
What are Harry and Meghan doing today?
Prince Harry and Meghan will arrive on Thursday morning at Melbourne’s Fitzroy Gardens for the Scar Tree Walk.
They will be greeted by indigenous traditional owners at the Koorie Heritage Trust Birrarung Building at Federation Square from which the couple will go down to the Yarra River and cross the William Barak Bridge.
The walk is the site of one Melbourne’s six traditional scarred trees, which are more than 200 years old.
The trunks bear the distinctive marks of stone axes used by Indigenous Australians to remove bark to make canoes, shields and other traditional objects.
Led by First Nations guides, the Sussexes and their entourage are expected to be told along their walk about ‘Narrm’, the Indigenous name for Melbourne, and the long cultural heritage within its city landscape.
The Duke and Duchess will then visit the Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Program, Batyr, on the grounds of Swinburne University.
They will discuss therapies about how to empower young people to talk openly about mental health and take charge of their wellbeing.
At some point, Prince Harry will also appear at the InterEdge Summit, a gathering to help businesses create ‘mentally healthy, safe, and high-performing workplaces’.
The event two-day event, which costs ‘virtual’ attendees $498 and in-person ‘delegates’ $997, will see all proceeds go to Lifeline.
Aussies divided over tender moment between Harry and Meghan
Prince Harry’s chivalrous treatment of Meghan Markle during the first engagements of their four-day Australia tour has been praised by Aussies.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been greeted by crowds at a series of engagements in both Melbourne and Canberra so far, with the couple due to fly to Sydney later on Thursday.
Photos of Harry opening doors for his wife and taking her hand as they exited a car at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum on Tuesday night, sparked admiration – and some criticism – from viewers.
‘He absolutely handles her with such great care! Opens her door and takes that hand. It’s very important. A love like this,’ one person wrote.
Another said: ‘I don’t think he’s ever done this before!’
However, some users said the gesture was more practical.
‘Can’t she walk in (on) her own?’ one person said.
‘I’m convinced she also likes to hold his hand to help her walk in those heels too,’ a second wrote.
‘Oh my goodness, he opens the door for her! Lucky Meghan!’ a third joked.
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Awkward moment Channel Seven reporter ambushes an unimpressed Prince Harry for a selfie before he’s shooed away by security on third day of Sussexes’ Aussie tour
