The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have met with survivors and first responders affected by the Bondi Beach shooting, as their tour of Australia entered its fourth day.
During a visit to Bondi Beach in Sydney, the couple spoke with volunteer lifeguards, community leaders, and those directly impacted by the December attack, which claimed 15 lives and left 40 others injured during a Hanukkah event.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived at the Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club on Friday morning, where they spent time with survivors Jessica Chapnik Khan and Elon Zizer. Both had shielded their children during the violence.
They also met Bondi lifeguards, widely praised for their bravery in protecting beachgoers during the attack.
Representatives from the Sydney Jewish Museum were present as well. The museum is preparing an exhibition dedicated to the tragedy, and its team described the royal couple’s visit as “really special.”
The Sussexes are currently touring eastern Australia, with previous stops in Canberra and Melbourne.
The couple were later greeted by fans who had gathered on the steps of the Sydney Opera House before boarding a boat for a sailing event hosted by Invictus Australia.
At the harbour, they met veteran Joel Vanderzwan, who presented them with customised flip-flops bearing the messages “G’day Hazza” and “G’day Megs”.
Harry accepted the gifts with a laugh, joking that he usually receives “budgie smugglers” from Invictus Australia.
The couple then set out on the water aboard a specially designed wheelchair-accessible vessel, allowing injured veterans to take part in the sailing experience.
Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 for wounded military personnel, and in 2018 he announced during a royal tour that Australia would host the event.
This visit marks Harry and Meghan’s first return to Australia since that 2018 tour.
Invictus Australia chief executive Michael Hartung described their return to Sydney Harbour as a “full-circle moment”.
Harry and Meghan are no longer working members of the Royal Family and are visiting Australia in a private capacity.
Meghan Markle appeared on Friday at a women-only weekend retreat held at a Sydney hotel, where ticket prices started at A$2,699 (£1,430) per person.
Packages that included a group photograph with her were priced at A$3,199 (£1,696). Security at the event was tight, with limited access granted to media.
On the final night of their Sydney visit, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended a rugby match between the New South Wales Waratahs and Moana Pasifika.
The couple sat alongside Phil Waugh, chief executive of Rugby Australia, who had invited them to the game.
Prince Harry last attended a rugby match in Sydney 23 years ago, when he watched England secure a Rugby World Cup victory.