Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan to visit Australia this year

Newly-weds’ first official overseas tour will also include New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who were married at Windsor Castle last month, have timed their trip to coincide with the Invictus Games in Sydney in October. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Prince Harry and his new wife Meghan will visit Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand this year for their first overseas tour as a married couple, Kensington Palace announced on Monday.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who were married at Windsor Castle last month, have timed their trip to coincide with the Invictus Games in Sydney in October.

Harry, the second son of heir to the throne Prince Charles, set up the global sports championship for wounded personnel after a decade in the army.

The four countries on the tour are members of the Commonwealth, the 53-nation grouping for which Harry is a youth ambassador.

_______________

Read more:

_______________

Harry is following in his parents’ footsteps, after Charles and his then wife Diana visited Australia and New Zealand in their first tour as a married couple.

Charles was in Australia this year to open the Commonwealth Games, his 16th tour of the country.

Harry’s older brother Prince William and his wife Kate also drew huge crowds during a 2014 visit to Australia and New Zealand with their baby Prince George.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will undertake an official visit to Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga, and New Zealand in the autumn,” the palace statement said.

“Their Royal Highnesses have been invited to visit the realms of Australia and New Zealand by the countries’ respective governments.

“The Duke and Duchess will visit the Commonwealth countries of Fiji and Tonga at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

“The tour will fall on the occasion of the Invictus Games Sydney 2018.”