The Duke of Sussex is a former captain in the British Army who served in the military from 2005 to 2015
Credit: Jonathan Brady – Pool/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Prince Harry traveled to Canberra solo during the second day of his visit to Australia with Meghan Markle
- The Duke of Sussex visited the Australian War Memorial and met with veterans during the day trip
- Earlier in the day, Prince Harry stepped out with Movember, which works to improve men’s health
Prince Harry is honoring veterans and service personnel during his visit to Australia.
While no official meet-and-greet had been scheduled for Harry, 41, around 50 locals gathered under an unseasonably warm autumn sun to watch him arrive. “Hello, Harry!” and “G'day mate, welcome,” a few well‑wishers called out as he made his way over the grass toward the memorial.
On the second day of his trip Down Under with Meghan Markle, the Duke of Sussex traveled from Melbourne to Canberra, about 400 miles away, for a solo outing. In Canberra, Harry visited the Australian War Memorial, the nation's principal memorial to those who have served and died in war and on operational service, combining a shrine, museum and archive.
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The For Our Country memorial, which is a moving tribute to the military service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, opened in 1941, is both a place of remembrance and a center for preserving Australia's military history.
Dressed in a dark suit and wearing medals from his decade of service in the British army, the prince acknowledged the crowd with a smile and a wave.
At the sculpture garden, the War Memorial's Indigenous liaison officer, Michael Bell, introduced the prince to Indigenous veterans before delivering a Welcome to Country on behalf of the Ngunnawal people, the traditional custodians of the Canberra region.
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Harry stood quietly with his hands clasped until one line appeared to resonate deeply. “Country is something that you feel in your heart and it is always with you,” Bell said, prompting an enthusiastic nod from the prince.
Harry then took part in a traditional smoking ceremony, which is an ancient practice using the smoke of native plants for cleansing, healing and protection.
The prince leaned over the fire pit as he bathed his face in the smoke. He also laid a wreath and spent some time looking at the For Our Country memorial.
He was then shown inside the War Memorial, where he viewed an exhibition and joined a yarning circle.
Credit: Jonathan Brady / POOL / AFP via Getty
Eliana, a visitor who had been exploring the exhibits when she heard Harry was outside, rushed out to catch a glimpse. “It was pretty cool to see him,” she tells PEOPLE. “It was a big surprise as we had no idea he was coming today. Everyone seemed really happy to see him. He is definitely the most famous person I've ever seen.”
Later, he joined a reception for Invictus Australia and attended the Last Post Ceremony, held every evening at the memorial since 2013 to commemorate an individual service member through storytelling, reflection and the sounding of the Last Post.
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At the reception, Harry announced the launch of the Invictus Australia Sports Festival, a brand-new international adaptive sports event that will take place in Perth, Australia, in October 2026.
Organizers say the festival will create additional opportunities for international wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans to engage in competitive sport as part of their recovery journey. It also signals the further expansion of the Invictus Movement, enabling veterans and armed forces members to compete in events away from the biennial Invictus Games.
The next Games are being held in Birmingham, U.K., in 2027.
Credit: Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty
Harry had traveled from Melbourne to Canberra on a commercial Qantas flight, sitting in the front row, to the surprise of cabin crew who looked delighted to have the duke on board. Stunned members of the public waved and said “Hi Harry” as the duke left Canberra Airport, PA Media reports.
The Duke of Sussex is a former captain in the British Army who served in the military from 2005 to 2015, including two tours in Afghanistan. He continues to support service personnel and veterans through the Invictus Games, an international adaptive sports contest that's been running since 2014.
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Supporting service personnel and veterans is a core part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's visit to Australia. The first day of their trip included meeting veteran families at the Australian National Veterans' Art Museum in Melbourne.
Before heading to Canberra, Prince Harry made a solo visit to Movember, a global charity founded in Melbourne to improve men's health. The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Western Bulldogs, a professional Australian rules football club.
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