Harry and Meghan join Aboriginal walking tour in Melbourne

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have taken a journey through First Nations Australians' history in Melbourne on day three of their visit to the country.

Prince Harry and Meghan joined an Aboriginal walking tour on Thursday called the Scar Tree Walk, an important cultural heritage site experience in the city.

Led by local Indigenous guides, the couple walked along the Birrarung, which is the traditional name for Melbourne's Yarra river.

The couple, who are no longer working royals, are touring Australia in a private capacity and have combined visits to charitable causes with commercial ventures.

As part of the tour, which begun at Koorie Heritage Trust in Melbourne's Federation Square, the duke and duchess got to handle a Marngrook.

A Marngrook is a traditional ball of possum fur that is thought to be the origin of the Australian Rules Football (AFL)'s signature oval ball.

On Wednesday, Prince Harry had joined players from an AFL team for a lesson in how to play the sport.

"The fact that the Duke yesterday was at a football club, I think it's a really great connection," Tom Mosby, CEO of the Koorie Heritage Trust, told the BBC.

The former royals saw an art installation during their journey, and learned how the river and surrounding lands were used for fishing and hunting by traditional owners.

This tour was about the couple being able to see what actually lies under the city, Mosby told the BBC.

Melbourne is a "contemporary urban place" but "at the same time there is still a very strong connection by the Aboriginal people to this traditional country".

Mosby said the couple were also very interested in Victoria's Treaty process. The state of Victoria only recently passed Australia's first formal treaty with traditional owners in 2025.

Some local residents and visitors were lucky enough to meet the couple while they were on the walk.

A Brazilian woman visiting Melbourne for her sister's wedding was on a run along the river when she saw the famous couple.

"It was so nice," she said. "They are the most gorgeous couple."

Narelle Zagami, a local resident, went to meet the visitors. "It's very emotional. I love Harry. They are just beautiful people," she said.

When asked about the criticism of the couple making money during their trip as private citizens, Zagami did not agree.

"They've got to make a living as well. It's part of their life now, this sort of thing, so I think it's good," she said.