As a host country for the Invictus Games, we know that Prince Harry has a fondness for Australia, and following the event taking place in Sydney this year, the newlyweds have decided to tour Down Under for their first official overseas visit as a married couple, visiting Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga in the autumn. Since it is the Duchess of Sussex's first official tour, we think that the former Suits actress might turn to Kate for tips on the upcoming engagement. With seven major royal tours under her belt, Kate is a pro – from the special ways she pays sartorial tribute to her host countries to her willingness to dive into local activities. Click through to see all the things Meghan can learn from Kate ahead of her first tour as a Duchess!
LEARN A NEW SKILL
Kate has picked up a dazzling array of skills while touring Commonwealth countries – from catching fish with her bare hands in Canada to learning archery in Bhutan! No matter where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge go, you can always expect to see them joining in by picking up a cricket bat or kicking a football – just to name a few of the athletic pursuits they've done while on tour!
Meghan is well-known for her love of health and wellness, and royal watchers have seen how this passion of hers has been passed on to Prince Harry, who looked slim and toned at their wedding last May! While working on her former blog, The Tig, Meghan also showed her love of exploring new cultures, so we're confident she'll be poised to dive right in when she and her new husband head to four South Pacific countries this fall – making for some incredible, personality filled photo opportunities along the way.
WALK THE WALK(ABOUT)
While on tour, royals are faced with fans at every turn, meaning dozens of walkabouts throughout a single overseas trip. In her seven years as a senior royal, Kate has perfected her interactions with royal watchers, from adorable children to the elderly, and she knows how to move along at the right pace, follow protocol and avoid awkward interactions. As far as protocol goes, royals do not sign autographs and are not supposed to take selfies – something that shouldn't be a problem for this couple as Prince Harry was vocal about the fact that he "hates selfies" back in 2015 while visiting the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The Queen echoes the sentiment, having previously revealed that she thinks they’re "disconcerting" and "strange". Another key to Kate's flawless walkabouts? Her small clutch bags, which she carries with both hands to avoid the awkwardness of someone trying to shake her hand.
Personalised parcels
Considering that both Meghan and Harry are fashion-forward, too, they're also likely to travel with a big load. To keep all of their goodies organised, they should follow a similar organizational protocol to make identifying their belongings as easy as possible. Given Meghan's penchant for beautiful leather totes and structured carry-on duffle bags – as spotted during some of her travels around Canada before she and Harry were official – fans may spot some super-chic luggage being carried down the airplane stairs when they land in Australia!
HIT THE HIGH NOTES DOWN UNDER
By looking at Prince William and Kate's 2014 tour of Australia and New Zealand with baby Prince George, the Duchess of Sussex can get an idea of some of the major tourist attractions she may visit. From that must-stop photo opp at Ayer's Rock, some beach time and a visit to George the Bilby at the Taronga Zoo (named after the couple's nephew, of course) to wine tasting in Queensland, sailing in Auckland and, of course, Hongi nose greetings from the Maori, fun-loving Meghan and Harry are in for plenty of adventures!
DRESS TO IMPRESS
From the maple leaf-embellished fascinator and brooch she wore to Canada Day celebrations in 2011 to fern adornments on her jacket in New Zealand, Kate always includes a number of nods to the host country in her tour wardrobe. And it’s not just her accessories!
Plenty of research goes into planning Kate’s tour wardrobe and can mean sourcing traditional pieces like the handmade kira skirt she wore in Bhutan in 2016, which was made by local weaver Kelzan Wangmo. Meghan has already shown an aptitude for these kinds of special touches, donning a handbag by Australian designer Oroton for a Commonwealth event in April, black pants by Welsh brand Hieut Denim while in Wales and a tartan Burberry coat in Scotland last February.
POWER SQUAD
No matter the occasion, Duchess Kate always looks absolutely perfect – whether she's glammed up for a red-carpet event, looking on the more casual side for a day playing with her children or standing on the Lindo Wing steps with her newborn baby.
While Kate is, of course, a natural beauty with her own keen eye for style, it certainly helps to have some assistance around at all times. And that's precisely why she brings hairstylist Amanda Cook Tucker and personal assistant and stylist Natasha Archer along on tour. The two women have been part of her glam squad since 2012, the year after Kate and William said "I do," and have been responsible for many of her most iconic looks. They both accompanied the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their most recent royal tour of Sweden and Norway.
While it's well-known that Meghan has received some major styling help from her Toronto-based best friend Jessica Mulroney, as well as tips from hairstyling genius Miguel Perez, it remains to be seen who she and the Royal Family will choose to join her glam squad while on tour.
Dressing for the weather
On Kate's very first tour she had a slight wardrobe malfunction after wearing a floaty yellow dress on a surprisingly windy day, meaning that her dress blew up much more than she expected! Since then, Kate has been careful not to make the same mistake, wearing longer skirts or A-line skirts that are less likely to cause an embarrassing mishap, and chances are she'll advise Meghan to do the same!