Harry has us at full stretch

IT WAS a case of survival of the tallest ... The people of Wanganui didn't so much reach out to His Royal Highness as stretch out ... on tiptoe, arms fully extended and then some, as they clutched cellphones, tablets and cameras, trying to get that once-in-a-lifetime shot at that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as Harry went walkabout at the War Memorial Centre yesterday.

Children were hoisted on their parents' backs - even some who were a little way past childhood were climbing up on others' shoulders, such was the appeal of a chance to see a real prince in the flesh.

Go Pro was clearly the way to go to get above the heads in the 10-deep crowd and snap the all-important photo. One college student brandished one, managing not to look too smug.

For the shorties, it was a neck-craning struggle in a crowd of a couple of thousand. But, of course, they were too polite to try and push to the front - everyone was on their best behaviour.

Mint cafe was playing God Save The Queen as the soon-to-be former Captain Wales stepped out to meet the sizeable gathering, which had a preponderance of teenage girls whose schools had, apparently, closed for the afternoon. There was also a good number of mums there, checking him out.

Prince Harry didn't disappoint.

He seemed to be a natural - a charmer, quite at ease with a group of excited strangers; down to earth and not burdened by the pageantry often associated with royalty.

His sense of duty was matched by his sense of fun.

Then he was gone and the crowd dispersed, clutching to the brief but joyful moment we had all shared.