Prince Harry takes part in Aboriginal smoking ceremony as Meghan Markle absent

Ben McCaffrey
Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:22:36 +0000

Prince Harry took part in a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on Wednesday afternoon.

The Duke of Sussex attended the ritual at the For Our Country memorial, a site dedicated to honouring the military contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

During the ceremony, the duke wafted smoke rising from a fire pit filled with burning leaves.

Members of the public gathered to watch the occasion, while police maintained a presence at the location.

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Harry also placed a wreath at the memorial, dressed in a suit blazoned with his military medals from his decade of service in the British Army.

Indigenous veterans welcomed the duke upon his arrival at the memorial.

Michael Bell, the site's Indigenous liaison officer and a man of Ngunnawal and Gomeroi heritage, delivered a Welcome to Country address to the royal visitor.

The duke was later guided through an exhibition celebrating Captain Reg Saunders, a pioneering figure in Australian military history.

Captain Saunders holds the distinction of becoming the first Indigenous Australian to receive a commission as an officer in the Australian Army, achieving this milestone in 1945.

Prince Harry made his way to the capital from Melbourne aboard a commercial Qantas aircraft, seated in the front row of the cabin.

Cabin crew appeared pleasantly surprised to discover the royal passenger on their flight and, upon departing Canberra Airport, the duke encountered an enthusiastic reception from onlookers.

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Astonished members of the public waved at the prince and called out "Hi Harry" as he made his exit.

The Australian capital basked in glorious sunshine for the royal visit, providing a warm backdrop to the day's proceedings.

The Duchess of Sussex did not accompany her husband on the day, as she embarked on private business engagements.

Earlier in the day, Harry spoke at an event on fatherhood hosted by Movember, where he revealed he had to "cleanse myself of the past" before having children.

The father-of-two met with supporters and members of the men's health charity Movember in Melbourne, and was presented with children's shirts, printed with the names Archie and Lilibet.

He later attended the reception for Invictus Australia, where he unveiled a new international adaptive sports competition for wounded, injured, and sick military personnel and veterans, scheduled to take place in Perth, Australia, this October.