NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Daphne Dunne, 99, Prince Harry's 'biggest fan', has died

news.com.au
2 Apr, 2019 05:37 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Prince Harry has been known to pick Daphne Dunne out of a crowd and give her a special greeting. Photo / Getty Images

Prince Harry has been known to pick Daphne Dunne out of a crowd and give her a special greeting. Photo / Getty Images

The 99-year-old who won the heart of Prince Harry on several royal tours of Australia has died.

Daphne Dunne had been in hospital suffering from pneumonia for two months when she died, Channel 7 reported.

Dunne called herself Prince Harry's "biggest fan" when he visited Australia. On several occasions the Prince would stop to chat to his elderly supporter, crouching down to reach Dunne who was in a wheelchair.

Prince Harry has always enjoyed special greetings and laughs with Daphne Dunne. Photo / Getty Images
Prince Harry has always enjoyed special greetings and laughs with Daphne Dunne. Photo / Getty Images

Just days ago, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sent the war widow a letter congratulating her on her 99th birthday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Dear Daphne, my wife and I send our warmest wishes to you on the occasion of your 99th birthday on Friday," the royal wrote to his well-known devotee.

War widow Daphne Dunne turned 99 last month and received a birthday message from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Photo / News Corp
War widow Daphne Dunne turned 99 last month and received a birthday message from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Photo / News Corp

"We hope you have a wonderful celebration surrounded by family and friends and that you've managed to escape hospital!

"Congratulations on reaching this important and impressive milestone before your centenary year next year.

It was signed simply "Harry and Meghan".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Prince Harry and Meghan greet royal fan and war widow Daphne Dunne at a public walkabout at the Sydney Opera House in October last year. Photo / Getty Images
Prince Harry and Meghan greet royal fan and war widow Daphne Dunne at a public walkabout at the Sydney Opera House in October last year. Photo / Getty Images

Talking to the Today Show, Dunne's daughter Michelle Haywood said the Prince's letter had really lifted her mother's spirits.

"Meghan and Harry have gotten mum through this terrible illness she's had. She's still very unwell and I think, you know, if anything, the card they sent means so much," she said.

Prince Harry has been known to pick Daphne Dunne out of a crowd and give her a special greeting. Photo / Getty Images
Prince Harry has been known to pick Daphne Dunne out of a crowd and give her a special greeting. Photo / Getty Images

Dunne was out in force to greet Prince Harry on each of his visits to Australia — first in 2015 and again in 2017.

When the Duke of Sussex made his royal visit Down Under with wife Meghan last year, Harry was sure to introduce the pair.

Discover more

Royals

How William resolved Meghan's dispute with the Queen

28 Mar 01:49 AM
Royals

Harry's precious gift for fan on her 99th birthday

30 Mar 12:10 AM
Royals

Why Meghan won't give birth where Kate, Diana did

31 Mar 12:10 AM
Royals

Revealed: Meghan Markle's private hospital birth plan

31 Mar 07:13 PM
Prince Harry hugged Daphne Dunne during a walkabout in the torrential rain ahead ahead of the Invictus Games launch in Sydney, 2017. Photo / Getty Images
Prince Harry hugged Daphne Dunne during a walkabout in the torrential rain ahead ahead of the Invictus Games launch in Sydney, 2017. Photo / Getty Images

According to Dunne, Meghan told her: "I'm so happy to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you."

After a brief chat, the Duchess apparently told Dunne: "Hopefully the next time we see you we'll have our little one with us."

Prince Harry meets Daphne Dunne, wearing her husbands Victoria Cross, outside the Sydney Opera House in May 2015. Photo / Getty Images
Prince Harry meets Daphne Dunne, wearing her husbands Victoria Cross, outside the Sydney Opera House in May 2015. Photo / Getty Images
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Travel

Air NZ's premium economy v Skycouch: Which is the winner?

08 May 07:00 PM
Lifestyle

‘I guess I'm a bit obsessed’: Minions collector sets world record

08 May 05:55 AM
Lifestyle

How the sheer dress trend is making waves on the red carpet

08 May 03:02 AM

Sponsored: Top tier tiles - faux or refresh

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Air NZ's premium economy v Skycouch: Which is the winner?

Air NZ's premium economy v Skycouch: Which is the winner?

08 May 07:00 PM

In the battle for the space between economy and business, the winner might surprise you.

‘I guess I'm a bit obsessed’: Minions collector sets world record

‘I guess I'm a bit obsessed’: Minions collector sets world record

08 May 05:55 AM
How the sheer dress trend is making waves on the red carpet

How the sheer dress trend is making waves on the red carpet

08 May 03:02 AM
Premium
Lessons from Paris: What Auckland can learn from global cultural innovation

Lessons from Paris: What Auckland can learn from global cultural innovation

08 May 01:13 AM
Sponsored: How much is too much?
sponsored

Sponsored: How much is too much?

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP