My run-in with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

WHEN it comes to fangirling, I usually try to keep the shrieking and arm flailing on the level.

But today I gave myself a free pass. You see, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle had moved in a stone’s throw away from my rental apartment.

For the next week, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will call Admiralty House home, and what better way to welcome the new neighbours than to whip out an iPhone, put on some dark shades and become the biggest royal stalker Kirribilli had ever seen.

Their first official engagement of their Australian tour kicked off a little later than expected on Tuesday morning, but that didn’t deter the crowds from congregating around the heavily guarded steel gates to wait for that split-second glimpse of the royal couple.

The wait felt like a lifetime but, by midmorning, the police motorcade assembled. The reception was over and Harry and Meghan were on the move, bound for Sydney’s Taronga Zoo.

As the gates opened, their smiling faces flashed before us. Surrounded by 11 motorcycles with their lights flashing, Harry and Meghan were escorted down Kirribilli Ave within seconds. Wearing white, Meghan gave us a quick wave, and then just like that, they were gone.

It was time to move.

Hightailing to Sydney’s Mosman, by the time I’d reached Taronga Zoo, fans had well and truly assembled.

Crowding around the entry point to the scenic Sky Safari ride, I was late to the party. The best spot I could weasel into was about four rows from prime stalker zone. But at 5’9’’, I had height on my side.

After a 30-minute wait, a tinge of ginger hair led the way up a concrete staircase, flanked by a woman in white.

They’d arrived, but instead of jumping on board the gondola lift as expected, the pair decided to greet us with open arms.

Meghan led the way, starting at one end of the crowd while Prince Harry targeted the middle.

The pair gushed as punters handed them gifts and flowers, with one man introducing his newborn as a fellow Harry.

The pair worked the crowd seamlessly, trying to shake each hand that extended their way.

Before long, I was in the firing line. I’d missed Meghan, but a handshake from Harry seemed a little more achievable.

Dressed in navy blue, the dad-to-be was cool, calm and collected as he reached out and touched each hand. Mine was next. I hoped he didn’t mind a case of the sweaty palm.

His hands were rougher and more blue collar than I’d expected. For a prince, I expected them to be a little more moisturised than what my handshake was met with.

His eyes locked on to every one he said hello to and his smile never faded, Oh, and the grip? Firm as they come. Chances are I won’t wash my right hand again.

While I thought I’d nail the “hello”, I failed in spectacular fashion with an awkward laugh instead. He moved along pretty quickly after that, sweaty palm and all.

My colleague Bronte Coy was stationed at the Opera House, where the Duke and Duchess arrived by boat after their visit to the zoo.

“As soon as they descended the steps from inside the Opera House to greet the fans waiting outside, Meghan seemed to take charge,” Bronte said.

“She led the way, walking a few steps ahead of Harry, and seemed incredibly comfortable in what I can now confirm — having seen it first hand — is an incredibly bizarre situation.”

My other news.com.au colleague, James Weir, observed that Meghan was the “calming force” behind Prince Harry.

“As the prince bounces between different sides of the walkway to meet onlookers calling his name, Meghan is more gentle — taking her time with the people who are talking to her,” James said.

“While Harry has a more frantic energy, she remains firm and strong.”

Harry has spent years cultivating an image as the “people’s prince”. And Meghan too is determined to get up close among the people — but there’s a precision to her approach.

She listens closely to everyone around her, whether it’s the public or her minders.

She crouches down to talks to children and elderly. She talks with mums like they’re chatting at the school gate. Softly spoken, she’s never distracted.

It’s clear she’s not here to just follow Harry — she spends time with the individual people she’s talking to, giving them all her attention.

While this tour could be seen as a wild introduction into Harry’s royal world, it’s actually Meghan who holds the reins. And she’s showing him how it’s done.

— with Bronte Coy and James Weir

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