Harry and Meghan visited Melbourne to learn how local people work to try to stop damage caused by single-use plastics.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shown their support for efforts to stop plastic pollution in our oceans during a visit to Melbourne.
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| Meghan handballs an Australian Rules football at event by the This Girl Can campaign |
Prince Harry and Meghan travelled by tram to see the city's south beach and learn how local people have been working to try to stop the damaging impact of single-use plastics.
They met with volunteers and school children from the local BeachPatrol group.
BeachPatrol is made up of around 18 different community groups that organise monthly beach cleaning events to clear litter from the Port Philip Bay beaches and foreshores.
In the past year they have removed nearly 5,000 bags full of plastic waste along a 50km stretch of coastline.
Harry and Meghan looked at some of the rubbish they had recently collected and spoke to school children who help with the clean-up activities.
Bonnie Sheppard, a school pupil who volunteers with the Beach Patrol, said they took a real interest in what they were doing.
She said: "They were asking us about how often we come down and clean up the beaches but also about the specific types of plastic, and one of the biggest things that is affecting the environment, so it's these single-use plastics."
The couple, who are expecting their first child in spring next year, were greeted by 600 cheering children as they also paid a visit to Albert Park primary school.
Harry and Meghan met with three pupils who act as waste warriors, encouraging other school children to recycle more.
The pair also chatted to four children who had their packed lunch, with the school encouraging pupils to have "naked food" where nothing in their lunch box is wrapped in cling film or plastic wrappings.
The school children certainly didn't seem shy around the couple.
One girl gave Meghan a plastic tiara, and another child told Harry that he looked just like his own uncle.
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| Prince Harry was warmly welcome at the school |
With less than five hours in Melbourne the couple tried to cram in as much as possible.
Meghan had a very quick go at throwing around an Aussie rules football, while meeting women from the "this girl can" campaign which celebrates active women.
They were also met by thousands of people at the Royal Botanic Gardens as they embarked on another walkabout.
One girl was in tears after she was hugged by Prince Harry, and Meghan had dozens of cuddly toys thrust into her arms.
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| The royal couple helped pick up plastic |
It was in Australia in the 1970s that the Queen and Prince Philip carried out their first public walkabout after deciding it was a good way to connect with people.
Since then it's been a regular fixture of any royal tour, even if dozens of high fives and hugs are a modern addition.
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