The recent trip by Prince Harry to Australia provided a new type of royal encounter, one that was much more intimate than official. The Duke of Sussex shocked the crowd by dancing to a catchy tune in the style of the well-known Australian children’s band, The Wiggles, during a public appearance in Melbourne about mental health issues in men. This was soon one of the most discussed moments of his trip, not due to its grand or thought-out nature, but because it revealed a more relaxed and relatable version of Harry as a parent.
It was held in Melbourne on April 15 and was the work of Movember at the headquarters of the Western Bulldogs football club. The event united the fathers, families, children, and mental health advocates to discuss parenting, emotional health, and the value of open dialogue concerning mental health. Although the occasion was serious, the impulsive response of Harry to a question about his children brought some warmth and joy in the room.
Harry was smiling and seemed very interested in the subject when someone asked him whether Archie and Lilibet like watching The Wiggles. Rather than just give the answer to the question, he started playing some of the moves to one of the most recognisable songs in the group, the Propeller. He waved his fingers in the air, and gave a short dance, which led to laughter and applause. This was the type of spontaneous events that made many people remember that behind the title of royalty is a father who also has the same day to day family experiences as the millions of other parents across the globe.
The Wiggles have been a favourite among young children over decades, especially in Australia and Harry having been willing to join in the fun made the interaction seem real. The parents in the audience might probably be able to identify themselves with having children that play the same songs over and over at home or who request them to join in with dances and routines. It was a little thing, but it was a glimpse of something bigger about contemporary parenting and the way even famous people are influenced by the daily activities of family life.
Though Archie and Lilibet were not with Harry and Meghan on this expedition, they evidently shared in the conversation during the visit. In a special gesture, the Western Bulldogs gave Harry two miniature football jerseys in royal blue colours one bearing the name Archie on the back and the other bearing the name Lilibet. The considerate present seemed to go down well with Harry who was said to be delighted at the prospect of bringing them back home to his kids.
In his appearance, Harry also talked more generally about fatherhood. He started his presentation with a warm welcome with the words G’day, everyone! and then he started to think about how he has changed as a parent. Harry has frequently talked about how much fatherhood has influenced him since welcoming Archie in 2019 and then Lilibet. In the Melbourne event, he talked about the significance of parenting as a collective responsibility and how he and Meghan are a team.
The message resonated with the broader agenda of the event. What started out as a small campaign to get men to grow moustaches to create awareness has become a global initiative in support of the mental health of men, preventing suicide, prostate cancer research and testicular cancer awareness. The organisation has been recognised to make men open up and talk about things that were perceived to be challenging or uncomfortable to talk about.
Prince Harry has long been a part of Movember and he has consistently used his platform to have frank discussions on mental health. The reason behind his interest in the issue is not only due to his charity work but also on his own experiences. Throughout his life, Harry has given numerous speeches related to grief, trauma, therapy, and the emotional issues that he encountered following the death of his mother, Princess Diana. On numerous occasions, he has stated that being silent about mental health struggle may worsen the struggle.
In one of his Movember campaigns in New York in 2025, Harry elaborated on why he feels that mental health support should be made more available to all people, particularly men and military veterans. He said, “I found myself speaking to many veterans and sitting down with them, I realized the silence is killing people. Stamping out the stigma globally, we’ve come a long way. Access to therapy is still a massive problem.” His words were similar to what he had preached in Melbourne this week where people were still encouraged to seek help when they need it.
The Australian visit of Harry will not be restricted to Melbourne and he will visit Canberra and Sydney. He will visit the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and will be involved in conferences related to Indigenous veterans and Invictus Australia. These visits indicate that Harry had long been dedicated to the military communities and the veterans, which has been one of the main subjects of his charitable activities throughout the years.
This trip to Australia is also a significant departure, as compared to the royal tours that Harry and Meghan used to make prior to renouncing their official royal responsibilities. Their past tours were usually in a conventional format of formalities, well-thought performances and a high level of media coverage. This visit, though, seems to be more intimate and aimed at issues, which the couple is interested in, such as mental health, children welfare, female empowerment and helping veterans.
Another thing that Meghan will be required to participate in the trip is wellness events and community programmes. The couple are touring hospitals, support organisations and local initiatives in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. The general atmosphere of the visit is less of a royal tour and more of a working visit with its focus on advocacy and meaningful conversations.
Although Archie and Lilibet are staying at home in California, they continue to be a significant aspect of Harry and Meghan in the media. The couple have always made it a point to ensure their children are not exposed to media as much as necessary. They seldom post pictures of Archie and Lilibet and where they do it is done with care not to disclose too much. Such a decision has enabled them to give their children a more intimate childhood, despite the fact they are living in the limelight.
