Prince Harry tried his hand at Aussie Rules football today in Melbourne’s west, getting a real workout—at least for the cameras—during the second day of his tour in Australia.
He was welcomed to Whitten Oval in Footscray by members of the Western Bulldogs AFL team as part of an event for Movember. Inside the ground, football stars Tom Liberatore, Adam Treloar and Matthew Kennedy handed him a mini-coaching clinic, walking him through the basics of kicking and handballing in front of a throng of reporters. The whole place had that busy, slightly chaotic pre-game energy, and at one point you could almost hear the rustle of media gear shifting as he lined up his next kick.
During a question-and-answer session on stage, Harry tied the day back to the theme—men’s mental health awareness—and what he’s been focusing on as he’s grown into fatherhood. “From my perspective, our kids are our upgrade,” he said. Then, almost like he couldn’t help refining the thought on the spot, he added: “That’s not how I was taught but that was my take on it — not to say I was an upgrade of my dad or that my kids are an upgrade of me.” He came back again to the same idea: kids, in today’s world, need to be an “upgrade” as the world keeps changing.
Harry also spoke about balancing work and parenting, and it was more specific than the usual broad lines you hear at events like this. “Every single time I went to work and I came back — if I was stressed, the moment that I held [my son] Archie, he would start crying,” he said. He noted he is now “fortunate enough” to work from home—though even with that advantage, it still sounds like the emotional pressure follows you right back into the house.
After the session inside the facility, the Duke of Sussex took to the field to meet with families of players, kick the footy with some children and watch a training session. Harry seemed especially focused on his handballs as The Wiggles played behind him—like the music was there for fun, but he was trying not to mess up. Some of The Wiggles were also in attendance, giving him a taste of Australia’s music scene while the day stayed firmly in the sports-and-mental-health lane.
The club didn’t just keep things casual either. In a bold possible recruiting move—or maybe just a friendly nod—they presented Harry with Western Bulldogs guernseys featuring the names of his children, Archie and Lilibet. He also left the ground looking particularly enamoured with the Sherrin, taking one with him as he exited. By the side of it all, the tour itself has been moving fast: he and Meghan Markle arrived in Melbourne on Monday and began a multi-day run that included a visit to Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, plus time at the Australian National Veterans’ Art Museum and even a pottery class with children of veterans.
They’ll head to Canberra and Sydney as well, along with commercial speaking engagements and appearances at ticketed events. Harry will fly to the nation’s capital later today for events at the Australian War Memorial—where he will meet with Indigenous veterans and attend a Last Post Ceremony. And honestly, somewhere between the guernseys, the handballs, and that “upgrade” line, it’s hard not to wonder how much of the day’s message will stick with people after the kickers and cameras move on—though… it probably will, for the kind of audience Movember brings in.
Which roads will be closed for the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll in Nashville?
The Quest for America’s Best Free Restaurant Bread
First verdict for YouTuber Johnny Somali over “Statue of Peace” outrage set for April 15