Prince Harry and Meghan visit Melbourne as awkward selfie bid makes headlines

Channel 7 television reporter Paul Dowsley in front of Meghan and Prince Harry at the end of the Scar Tree Walk. Photo / Getty Images

Prince Harry appeared annoyed when a television reporter stepped in front of him to take a selfie at a Melbourne event.

Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, visited the Fitzroy Gardens on Thursday, where they were guided through the protected cultural heritage site.

The tour was interrupted when Channel 7 reporter Paul Dowsley enthusiastically attempted to photograph himself with Prince Harry, the Daily Mail reported.

The Sussexes’ communications director, Liam Maguire, had been seen chatting amiably with Dowsley at the start of the visit, but the mood shifted when the reporter repeatedly stepped into shot while Harry and Meghan were being filmed.

The situation got awkward when Harry appeared to prod Dowsley out of Meghan’s path, according to the outlet.

Dowsley said the encounters were all in good spirits, saying Harry had even praised his floral tie.

“I suppose it’s a break in protocol to ask for a selfie with a royal but he told me that I’m always so well-dressed,” Dowsley said.

The couple are expected to travel to Sydney later on Thursday.

Channel 7 television reporter Paul Dowsley in front of Meghan and Prince Harry at the end of the Scar Tree Walk. Photo / Getty Images

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex touched down in Australia on Tuesday for a four-day visit blending charitable engagements with paid commercial appearances.

The couple, who stepped back from royal duties in January 2020, travelled as private citizens, flying into Melbourne on a commercial Qantas flight from Los Angeles.

Passengers sitting alongside them had no idea the former royals were on the plane until they disembarked.

“Only until we got off the plane was the only time we realised it was them,” one passenger told Today.

In Melbourne, the couple visited the Royal Children’s Hospital – opened by Harry’s grandmother, the late Queen, in 1963 – before meeting military veterans and family violence survivors.

They then flew to Canberra for an event with AFL team the Western Bulldogs and met Indigenous veterans at the Australian War Memorial.

On the trip, Harry is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at a summit where tickets were priced at up to A$2400 ($2900) each, while Meghan is scheduled to host a women-only Sydney event tied to the Her Best Life podcast. No appearance fees were disclosed.

The last time the pair visited Australia was in 2018, shortly after their wedding.

Questions have been raised over whether Australian taxpayers contributed to policing costs during the visit, with some estimates reaching six figures.

Zero Risk security specialist Tony Loughran told the Daily Mail the cost could run into the “tens, possibly hundreds of thousands” because of demands on state police resources.