Meghan and Harry kicked off a packed day by opening the extended Anzac Memorial at Hyde Park in central Sydney, paying tribute to thousands of Australians who lost their lives in battle.
The couple were greeted by a small crowd of well-wishers upon arrival. They were then given a tour of the upgraded facility, which was originally built to honour the servicemen and servicewomen who lost their lives in World War I.
The memorial was originally opened on November 24th 1934 by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester at a ceremony witnessed by approximately 100,000 people. The memorial at that time read: “Opened by the son of a King.”. The wreath of red flowers laid by the duke is kept safe as a memory in a glass case outside the memorial’s hall of memory.
In his speech, the Duke declared: “To the glory of God, and in honored memory of the men and women of New South Wales who gave their lives, and in gratitude to all who left this State to serve the Empire in the Great War, I unveil this Anzac Memorial.
Due to the financial hardships of the Great Depression, the memorial was never fully completed in line with its original architectural plans back in 1934.
So today, Prince Harry opened a completed facility, upgraded at the cost of $40 million, by unveiling a plaque that read it was opened by a “grandson of the Queen.”
Russell Myers reports: “The couple arrived to unveil a war memorial 84 years in the making. The Anzac Memorial, which commemorates the sacrifices made by those who served for Australia and New Zealand, was initially designed in the 1930s by Bruce Dellitt. But following the Great Depression, the finances were not available to make Mr Dellitt’s vision a reality, including a four-tier cascading waterfall on the Liverpool Street side of the monument.”
With NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Prime Minister Scott Morrison as witnesses, Meghan and Harry also laid a wreath of native Australian flowers and observed a minute’s silence at the memorial.
A closer look:
Harry then saluted as the Last Post played before they all paused for a minute’s silence.
Harry wore a white uniform with three medals dispatched on it:
Awarded to mark his grandmother’s sixtieth year on the throne in 2012; his Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal on the right side. The Medal was given to all those in the Armed Forces, emergency services, prison services, and members of the Royal Household.
In the middle is the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, which was awarded to all those in active service on February 6, 2002, who had been in the forces for five years.
His Afghanistan Operational Service Medal is on the left to mark his service at the frontline in the Helmand Province.
To show that Harry is now one of the Queen’s personal Aide de Camps, he wore an aiguillette from his right shoulder.
The Queen’s cyphers – EIIR – was also on his shoulder boards. Harry wore a white uniform with three medals dispatched on it.
A vide from the day:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2087796204613472
As expected, Meghan looked very elegant for the occasion wearing a custom black version of the Camila Wool-Crepe Midi Dress by Emilia Wickstead.
The dress is a lesson in simplicity: the high neck, the contrasting buttons extending to the hem, the short sleeves and the mid-length are all so flattering while at the same time ultra-proper for a formal event.
Meghan styled it with a similar color pair of Tabitha Simmons Millie Slingback pumps.
And a hat by Philip Treacy
She carried her black Givenchy satin clutch.
Finally, she accessorized it with her Pippa Small 18-karat gold Herkimer diamond earrings.
After the ceremony Harry and Meghan travelled by boat to Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour to watch competitors in an Invictus Games driving event.
See you soon
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