The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took separate boats on Monday to Queensland’s Fraser Island as their tour of Australia and the South Pacific continued with a reduced schedule for the pregnant duchess.
Prince Harry took a barge for the 43-mile (70-kilometer) crossing from Australia’s mainland to the island, while the former American actress Meghan rode in a far more comfortable cruiser.
Meghan is some four months pregnant and has had her schedule reduced after a hectic start to the 16-day tour.
The Duchess was expected to rest for the first part of the day while Prince Harry undertook several engagements focusing on environmental issues, before rejoining her husband for a reception.
After taking part in a traditional “Welcome to Country” smoking ceremony with representatives of the local Butchulla indigenous people, Harry was set to unveil a plaque dedicating the popular holiday island’s pristine rainforests to Queen Elizabeth’s Commonwealth Canopy project.
The paramedics were to be recognized for their act of kindness after a photo of them last year granting a dying woman’s wish to see the ocean at Hervey Bay one last time went viral and captured hearts around the world.
