Britain's Prince Harry (R) looks back to the New South Wales state premier Mike Baird (L) at the Sydney Opera House on May 7, 2015. (AFP)
Sydney:
Prince Harry today described new niece Princess Charlotte as "beautiful" and said he can't wait to meet her as he wrapped up a month-long visit to Australia with a rare royal press conference.
The 30-year-old, known as Captain Wales, is yet to set eyes on the baby after missing her birth due to his deployment with the Australian army.
But he's excited about getting back to London to meet up with brother Prince William and his wife Kate, with a suitcase full of cuddly toys given to him by wellwishers in Sydney destined for the infant.
Asked if he had bought anything Australian to take home for her, he replied: "Ah, not in particular.
"But I've been given a hell of a lot of cuddly toys from this morning and other things so I look forward to it.
"I'm looking forward to meeting her -- she's beautiful," he added.
Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, who was born on Saturday, was named in tribute to 89-year-old monarch Queen Elizabeth as well as William and Harry's mother Diana, who died in a car crash in 1997.
The little princess is fourth in line to the throne after her elder brother George, who will be two in July, her father and her grandfather Charles.
It means Harry, who is quitting the armed forces in June, has been bumped down to fifth.
After a meet-and-greet with fans at the Sydney Opera House today, Captain Wales travelled to a western Sydney hospital to meet a British officer being fitted with prosthetic legs.
Lieutenant Ali Spearing lost both legs in Afghanistan, where Prince Harry also served.
It was at Macquarie University Hospital that he held the press conference, taking five questions on subjects from Charlotte to his time in Australia and how Spearing was coping.
He said his Australian army embed had been busy, although he managed to have "plenty of beers with the guys".
"I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with these guys and hopefully share some of my knowledge from back home and learn a hell of a lot from their experiences as well," he said.
"It's been great fun. The soldiers over here are very similar to our guys so the sense of humour is still the same."
While largely incognito over the past month, he was spotted popping into a Vietnamese cafe for a pork roll in Sydney and a takeaway in Perth where he ordered a Queen Victoria Burger.
In a light-hearted dig at the media, he thanked them for "keeping everyone up to date with my eating habits".
Harry leaves for New Zealand on Saturday where he will remain until May 16.
The 30-year-old, known as Captain Wales, is yet to set eyes on the baby after missing her birth due to his deployment with the Australian army.
But he's excited about getting back to London to meet up with brother Prince William and his wife Kate, with a suitcase full of cuddly toys given to him by wellwishers in Sydney destined for the infant.
Asked if he had bought anything Australian to take home for her, he replied: "Ah, not in particular.
"But I've been given a hell of a lot of cuddly toys from this morning and other things so I look forward to it.
"I'm looking forward to meeting her -- she's beautiful," he added.
Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, who was born on Saturday, was named in tribute to 89-year-old monarch Queen Elizabeth as well as William and Harry's mother Diana, who died in a car crash in 1997.
The little princess is fourth in line to the throne after her elder brother George, who will be two in July, her father and her grandfather Charles.
It means Harry, who is quitting the armed forces in June, has been bumped down to fifth.
After a meet-and-greet with fans at the Sydney Opera House today, Captain Wales travelled to a western Sydney hospital to meet a British officer being fitted with prosthetic legs.
Lieutenant Ali Spearing lost both legs in Afghanistan, where Prince Harry also served.
It was at Macquarie University Hospital that he held the press conference, taking five questions on subjects from Charlotte to his time in Australia and how Spearing was coping.
He said his Australian army embed had been busy, although he managed to have "plenty of beers with the guys".
"I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with these guys and hopefully share some of my knowledge from back home and learn a hell of a lot from their experiences as well," he said.
"It's been great fun. The soldiers over here are very similar to our guys so the sense of humour is still the same."
While largely incognito over the past month, he was spotted popping into a Vietnamese cafe for a pork roll in Sydney and a takeaway in Perth where he ordered a Queen Victoria Burger.
In a light-hearted dig at the media, he thanked them for "keeping everyone up to date with my eating habits".
Harry leaves for New Zealand on Saturday where he will remain until May 16.
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