Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan have rubbed shoulders with Australia's ultra-rich, Bondi massacre heroes and an over-friendly pooch as their tour Down Under comes to an end.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent the last afternoon of their trip on Friday in Sydney's glitzy eastern suburbs, with Meghan delivering a headline speech at an exclusive retreat.
Though tickets started at $A2699 ($NZ3289), some shelled out $A3199 for a VIP experience that included a group table photo with Meghan, along with gift bags and a premium hotel room.
Guests began streaming into the event from the afternoon, stepping out of blacked-out SUVs in flowing, floor-length gowns.
The comparative commoners were left to linger the nearby streets or look on from surrounding balconies as they hoped for a glimpse of the duchess.
Another passerby waved slowly from her car while cooing "hello", in a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's grandmother.
Harry and Meghan started their time in Sydney at Bondi, paying tribute to the 15 people killed in an anti-Semitic terrorist attack at the world-famous beach.
They met emergency workers who responded to the shooting, as well as representatives of the Sydney Jewish Museum, which is opening an exhibition on the massacre.
After arriving at the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club yesterday morning, the couple spoke to Jessica Chapnik Kahn, who survived the attack while shielding her five-year-old daughter after attending a Hanukkah party.
They also spoke to Elon Zizer, 40, who survived after being shot numerous times while protecting his children.
The couple met Shannon Biederman, the museum's senior curator, who said it was "really special" to have them visit.
A crowd craned over the barricades, a helicopter whirred in the cobalt-blue sky overhead and police boats swarmed the jetty.
Even a sailing yacht had stopped to see what all the fuss was about, its crew furiously tacking back and forth in the bay.
After dishing out smiles and hugs, they descended the wharf where Invictus Games competitor Joel Vanderzwan was waiting with a pair of custom thongs.
"He's a really easy guy to talk to", Mr Vanderzwan told AAP of his first meeting with the prince.
"(It's) incredible that someone with that sort of following and that sort of presence can just be one of us."
The Invictus Games are an international sporting event the prince founded for wounded, injured and sick military service personnel.
Harry and Meghan rounded out their time at a Super Rugby Pacific match between the Waratahs and Moana Pasifika.
The former royals have been all smiles throughout their four-day visit, making many public appearances, cuddling an affectionate dog and posing for selfies during their commitments.
For royal-watchers, the experience has been a highlight.
Among them were Courtney Higlett and her son Zaya, who shared a special moment with the couple on Thursday.
"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 told AAP.
No longer working royals following their much-publicised split with Buckingham Palace, Harry and Meghan are visiting in a private capacity.
The prince delivered a keynote speech at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne on Thursday, where he shared feeling "lost, betrayed, or completely powerless" at times in his life.
Guests paid about $A1000 to $A2400 for a ticket to the summit, although media reports suggest Harry was not paid for his speech.
No longer working royals following their much-publicised split with Buckingham Palace, Harry and Meghan are visiting in a private capacity.
The prince delivered a keynote speech at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne on Thursday, where he shared feeling "lost, betrayed, or completely powerless" at times in his life.
Guests paid about $1000 to $2400 for a ticket to the summit, although media reports suggest Harry was not paid for his speech.
The trip has divided public opinion in Australia, where King Charles III is the head of state, though a sizeable minority supports becoming a republic.
The duke and duchess have received a warm reception at events across Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, but others have questioned the reasons for the trip, which local media have called a "pseudo-royal tour".
The couple stepped down as working members of the British royal family and moved to the United States, where Meghan is from, in 2020, citing a desire to be financially independent and to escape what they characterised as media intrusion into their private lives.
They last visited Australia in 2018 while still working royals, announcing Meghan's first pregnancy hours after arriving in Sydney.
- Additional reporting by Reuters
