| Duchess of Sussex rejoins Duke for walkabout after rest from Australian tour as pregnancy 'takes its toll' -  The Duchess of Sussex joined her husband for a walkabout on Fraser Island, having spent the morning resting as her pregnancy "takes its toll". Meghan, wearing a striped dress by Reformation and brown leather lace-up sandals, clutched her baby bump for part of the walk under blue skies in Queensland. The Duke had attended three of the day's engagements on his own, including an unveiling of the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy, where he joked about plaque-unveiling running "in the family". He had told his pregnant wife to take it easy as the couple carry out a 16-day tour across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, telling Invictus Games athletes on Sunday: "Being pregnant takes its toll". It is understood that the Duchess of Sussex is to resume her full royal tour programme as of now and will undertake the full schedule in Fiji and Tonga unless circumstances change again. The Duchess was glowing as she arrived by car to meet her husband, having spent the morning at their hotel recuperating from the heavy schedule of the first week of their tour. A royal aide said: "She isn't sick, she just had a tiring few days and we were concerned about the roads on the island which are incredibly bumpy and uncomfortable for anyone, let alone a pregnant woman. "But the Duchess was very keen to re-join the duke at the last engagement of the day to greet the people of the island." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet wellwishers along a Kingfisher Bay walkabout Credit: Chris Hyde /Getty The Duchess, who has modified her programme to take into account her pregnancy, was absent from engagements most of the day, which required a bumpy four wheel drive journey across sandy roads. The couple flew into Hervey Bay on Monday morning, before boarding separate boats for their different days out. After a day of learning about the island's natural beauty, the Duke travelled to Kingfisher Bay by boat, where he was joined by the Duchess for a walk along the jetty. The Duke and Duchess walk hand-in-hand along the jetty Credit: PHIL NOBLE /Reuters The parents-to-be were given gifts including flowers and bears during the walkabout and the Duke was taken by a sign reading "Rangas rule", an Australian slang reference to his ginger hair. Jada Quinn, nine, said: "My dad is a ranga and I'm a little bit a ranga and he appreciated the sign." Her sister, Ella, 12, said: "It was a bit overwhelming, I started to cry a little bit. She was so kind and she shook my hand." The Duchess of Sussex arrives at Kingfisher jetty by boat Credit: Catherine Lyn Finch /Getty Julianne, Ebony and and Lily Reid gave Meghan a home-made baby changing mat, with Harry asking if it had koalas on. The Duchess also bent down to speak to Noeline Walk, 85, Fraser Island's oldest and longest-living resident at 45 years. Mrs Walk said: "She asked me since I was local what i would suggest she have for tea," Mrs Walk said. "'Seafood, of course!' I told her. 'Oh, I'll have to give it a try', she said." Duke and Duchess of Sussex's tour of Australia - in pictures Unveiling plaques 'runs in the family', jokes Harry The Duke of Sussex joked that being skilled at unveiling plaques "runs in the family" as he took part in a dedication ceremony on Fraser Island in Queensland on Monday. Harry was greeted by the Butchulla People and took part in a traditional Welcome to Country smoking ceremony on Fraser Island. He spoke under the island's satinay trees in Pile Valley, some up to 1,000 years old and used to build the London docks in the 1930s. Before Harry began speaking, local Marilyn Clarke called out: "You are better looking in person!" - to which he replied: "I will take that as a compliment." The Duke of Sussex unveils a plaque, joking that the technique 'runs in the family' Credit: Chris Jackson /Getty Dedicating the Forests of K'Gari to the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy, the Duke said the initiative was "established in honour of my grandmother, the Queen's lifetime of service to the Commonwealth". "This is actually the second time this plaque has been unveiled which I know is highly unusual," he said. "The first time was by my father the Prince of Wales in Bundaberg earlier this year when he was visiting. "I now have the privilege of unveiling it in situ. I know that my father came to K'Gari in 1994 for a day off during a royal tour so he has an appreciation of the importance of this place. "Luckily we are both highly skilled when it comes to unveiling plaques... It runs in the family." Duke meets local elders to learn about island's history The Duke visited one of Fraser Island’s lakes to meet local elders and national park rangers to learn about the Island’s natural beauty, biodiversity and cultural significance. He also heard about the history of the Island’s logging trade, as well as its use as a training base for the Australian Z Special Unit during World War II. The Duke of Sussex poses for a photo with the Butchulla People Credit: Phil Noble /AP The Duke meets locals in the forests of K'gari Credit: PHIL NOBLE /Reuters The Duke of Sussex watches a traditional dance by the Butchulla People Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth /AP The island is still open to members of the public on Monday, although the network of winding bumpy sand roads have been closed to all but the royal household and accredited media. Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world, and has a total of 206,970 acres of protected forest. Duke urges public to protect Queensland rainforest The Duke of Sussex has urged the public to protect the Queensland rainforest “for our children and our children’s children”, as he embarked on a morning out without his wife. Harry was welcomed to Pile Valley on Fraser Island with a traditional smoking ceremony to ward off evil spirits by members of the Butchulla People, the traditional owners of the land, which they call K’gari - meaning paradise. Aaron Henderson and Darren Blake wafted smoke from a bucket of burning Paper Bark and Blue Gum leaves towards him, while songman Fred Bulanyu Leone called out to their ancestors and tapped out a rhythm with a pair of bar gan - “killer boomerangs” - traditionally used for hunting. The Duke was there to mark the forest’s dedication to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy initiative, a growing area of protected forests across the organisation’s 53 member states. He gazed up in awe at the 1,000 year old Satinay trees as they led him into the forest to a clearing around a sacred Spirit Tree.
Mon, 22 Oct 2018 02:47:40 -0400
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