Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive to participate in the Scar Tree Walk at Birrarung Marr.

Prince Harry and Meghan participate in the Scar Tree Walk at Birrarung Marr in Melbourne. (AAP: Con Chronis)


The unofficial royal tour of Prince Harry and Meghan has rolled into a third day, with visits to a mental health charity, an Aboriginal heritage walk and a speaking event on the agenda.

During a keynote speech at a summit on leadership in the workplace, the Duke of Sussex said he had felt “lost, betrayed, or completely powerless” during his life.

Harry made the remarks at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne on “leadership, psychosocial safety and human connection in the workplace”, with the Duchess of Sussex watching on in the audience.

Delegate tickets for the summit ranged from about $1,000 to $2,400 but it was understood by the Press Association that Harry was not paid a fee for his speech, nor Meghan paid for her appearance on MasterChef Australia, which was filmed on Wednesday.

Prince Harry delivering a speech at a lecturn.

Prince Harry says at times he has felt “lost, betrayed, or completely powerless”. (AP: Jonathan Brady)

The duke told those present in the Centrepiece conference venue that there was a “lot in the world right now leaving us feeling anxious, stressed, helpless, powerless and completely overwhelmed”.

“When I was invited to speak at this summit, I wasn’t sure whether I was expected to speak as someone who, despite everything, has their shit together,” Harry said.

“Or as someone who, despite what it may look like, actually doesn’t have his shit together.”

He said while his experiences may be “unusual”, the feelings that came with them were not.

“There have been many times when I’ve felt overwhelmed. Times when I’ve felt lost, betrayed, or completely powerless. Times when the pressure — externally and internally — felt constant,”

he said.

“And times when, despite everything going on, I still had to show up pretending everything was OK, so as not to let anyone down.

“For many years I was numb to it, and perhaps that was easier then, but I also didn’t yet have the tools to deal with it.”

The duke said becoming a father changed his approach because you “start to notice the ripple effect more clearly”.

“When a parent is overwhelmed, children feel it. When someone is supported, families feel it,” he said.

“For me, one of the biggest shifts came when I realised that asking for help isn’t a weakness. It’s very much a form of strength.”

Other speakers at the summit include former Australian tennis professional Jelena Dokic and American social psychologist Amy Cuddy.

Fans meet Sussexes

After spending the second day of their four-day trip apart, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were back exploring Melbourne together on Thursday.

Admirers again got up close and personal with the pair as the celebrity couple immersed themselves in Aboriginal culture and championed mental health initiatives.

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive to participate in the Scar Tree Walk at Birrarung Marr.

Prince Harry and Meghan participate in the Scar Tree Walk. (AAP: Con Chronis)

The first order of the day was a “guided cultural experience” exploring the city’s scar trees — living heritage sites created when Melbourne’s original Wurundjeri inhabitants stripped bark off trees to craft canoes and other items.

The pair were then set to visit Batyr, a mental health organisation, before attending the InterEdge Summit.

After missing a chance to see Harry on Wednesday at the Western Bulldogs HQ, Vida from Altona walked up and gifted the pair a bag of cards and Australiana-style colouring books for Prince Archie and Princess Lillibet.

“I thought that would be something that they would appreciate,” Vida told AAP afterwards.

“They’re just the epitome of what human beings should be about … They’re humans with emotions, and they’re humans with empathy and loving.”

A small crowd of curious passers-by grew gradually, with people stopping to investigate the commotion and many staying to snap selfies.

Courtney Higlett and her son, Zaya, shared a special moment with the pair, grabbing a selfie.

“A lot’s gone on with Harry and Meghan, and we choose to ignore it and just look up to them as role models for what they do,” Ms Higlett said.

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pose for a selfie photo at the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne

Prince Harry and Meghan pose for a selfie with a fan. (Reuters: Jonathan Brady)

Meghan to headline exclusive women’s retreat in Sydney

No longer working royals after their much-publicised split with Buckingham Palace, Harry and Meghan are visiting Australia in a private capacity.

Rather than open meet-and-greets with members of the public, the pair have opted to stick to “managed environments to minimise disruption to members of the public and host organisations”.

Harry spent Wednesday visiting the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, where he attended a solemn Last Post ceremony and gave a speech to veterans’ sports organisation Invictus Australia.

Prince Harry attends an Invictus Australia reception at the Aust

Prince Harry addressed an Invictus Australia event on Wednesday as part of a brief stop in the nation’s capital. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

About 100 members of the public greeted the duke and watched on as he arrived at the memorial to lay a wreath in front of a sculpture commemorating Indigenous soldiers.

He was then whisked away to a private tour of the memorial without stopping to chat to the gathered crowd.

The pair will fly to Sydney later on Thursday, where Meghan will headline an exclusive three-day women’s retreat pitched as a “girls weekend like no other” with tickets starting at $2,699.

The duke and duchess will end their trip in Sydney, where they will sail around the harbour and attend a rugby match.