Awkward moment reporter ambushes Prince Harry for a selfie

Near the conclusion of the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne, which lasted barely half an hour, a Channel 7 TV reporter tried to get a selfie with Harry – sparking chaos.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s communications director Liam Maguire was seen having several friendly conversations with Paul Dowsley, which involved genial backslaps.

However, Dowsley began to attract the attention of the couple’s staff as he darted in and out of the camera shots of Harry and Meghan, who were being filmed by PA Media for the majority of press coverage in the UK.

It culminated in an awkward moment between the reporter and the Prince, who placed a hand on his arm after he tried to snap a selfie of the pair.

He told the Daily Mail that the interactions with Harry were all good-humoured, and that the Duke had even complimented him on his flowered tie.

‘I suppose it’s a break in protocol to ask for a selfie with a royal but he told me that I’m always so well-dressed,’ he said.

In footage, Harry appears to be prodding Dowsley, dressed in a beige suit, out of the way of Meghan’s path.

The hyperactive former Kyle & Jackie O producer, who once worked for TV comic Bert Newton, has also been seen running around excitedly at each Sussex venue trying to get exclusives.

Dowsley could be seen being ushered away by a burly security guard, known as ‘Chris from Texas’ by reporters following the tour, on Tuesday evening when the couple stepped out for an event at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum.

The Duchess of Sussex was spotted wearing a t-shirt on the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne, which understood to have been designed by a close friend.

For an event steeped in the history of ‘Narrm’, the Indigenous name for the city, and the long cultural heritage within its landscape, Meghan Markle sported a t-shirt emblazoned with a bright red love heart and the word ‘Mama’.

The limited edition tee was released by the charity Alliance of Moms, which is headed by her best friend Kelly McKee Zajfen – who appeared on Meghan’s Netflix series ‘With Love, Meghan’.

Funds from the t-shirt sales go towards supporting young parents in foster care.

Meghan paired the t-shirt with bootleg blue jeans and a camel coat in a more casual look for Thursday morning.

Prince Harry had been styled to complement her outfit, with a blue shirt and black jeans.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their first visit on Thursday morning to the Koorie Heritage Trust Birrarung Building at Federation Square for the Scar Tree Walk.

Greeted by traditional owners carrying possum fur objects and a boomerang, Meghan chatted with a young boy.

At one point, the Duchess could be heard saying to him: ‘Do you know Diary of a Wombat? I love that book.’

The group ambled down to the Yarra River and crossed the William Barak Bridge.

The walk is the site of one of Melbourne’s six traditional scarred trees, which are more than 200-years-old.

Meghan Markle will be guest-starring on the new season of MasterChef Australia and fans of the beloved series are not happy.

Channel 10 took to Instagram on Wednesday evening to make the announcement, alongside an image of the Duchess of Sussex smiling proudly alongside judges Jean-Christophe Novelli, Poh Ling Yeow and Sofia Levin.

‘We’re welcoming someone SUPER special into the MasterChef Kitchen,’ the caption began.

‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, makes a special guest appearance this season as she returns to Australia for the first time since 2018,’ it continued.

MasterChef Australia also shared footage of the moment Poh introduces Megan to this year’s cast.

Meghan exuded confidence and style as she strode onto the MasterChef set in a sleek black ensemble.

Prince Harry and Meghan will arrive on Thursday morning at Melbourne’s Fitzroy Gardens for the Scar Tree Walk.

They will be greeted by indigenous traditional owners at the Koorie Heritage Trust Birrarung Building at Federation Square from which the couple will go down to the Yarra River and cross the William Barak Bridge.

The walk is the site of one Melbourne’s six traditional scarred trees, which are more than 200 years old.

The trunks bear the distinctive marks of stone axes used by Indigenous Australians to remove bark to make canoes, shields and other traditional objects.

Led by First Nations guides, the Sussexes and their entourage are expected to be told along their walk about ‘Narrm’, the Indigenous name for Melbourne, and the long cultural heritage within its city landscape.

The Duke and Duchess will then visit the Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Program, Batyr, on the grounds of Swinburne University.

They will discuss therapies about how to empower young people to talk openly about mental health and take charge of their wellbeing.

At some point, Prince Harry will also appear at the InterEdge Summit, a gathering to help businesses create ‘mentally healthy, safe, and high-performing workplaces’.

The event two-day event, which costs ‘virtual’ attendees $498 and in-person ‘delegates’ $997, will see all proceeds go to Lifeline.

Prince Harry’s chivalrous treatment of Meghan Markle during the first engagements of their four-day Australia tour has been praised by Aussies.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been greeted by crowds at a series of engagements in both Melbourne and Canberra so far, with the couple due to fly to Sydney later on Thursday.

Photos of Harry opening doors for his wife and taking her hand as they exited a car at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum on Tuesday night, sparked admiration – and some criticism – from viewers.

‘He absolutely handles her with such great care! Opens her door and takes that hand. It’s very important. A love like this,’ one person wrote.

Another said: ‘I don’t think he’s ever done this before!’

However, some users said the gesture was more practical.

‘Can’t she walk in (on) her own?’ one person said.

‘I’m convinced she also likes to hold his hand to help her walk in those heels too,’ a second wrote.

‘Oh my goodness, he opens the door for her! Lucky Meghan!’ a third joked.