Prince blames work pressure for brief Aussie visit

Image
AP Sydney
Last Updated : Oct 06 2013 | 8:35 AM IST
Britain's Prince Harry left Sydney bound for Australia's west coast today, blaming work pressures for the brevity of a two-day visit Down Under representing his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.
Harry, known in the British Army as Captain Wales, arrived in Sydney yesterday to celebrate the centenary of the fledgling Australian navy fleet's first visit to the city's famed harbour.
He described his Sydney experience as "absolutely fantastic" before boarding Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's jet on Sunday to fly 3,300 kilometres (2,050 miles) to the west coast city of Perth.
"It's just ... Really sad that we're leaving," the 29-year-old royal told Nine Network television before boarding the jet. "Work, just can't get the time off work nowadays."
The Apache helicopter pilot and Afghan War veteran will visit the Australian Special Air Service Regiment commando headquarters in Perth before ending his first Australian visit officially representing the monarch.
Yesterday, the fourth in line to the crown chatted and shook hands with a throng of excited fans on the Sydney waterfront.
He had earlier coasted past the Sydney Opera House on board the Australian navy's survey ship HMAS Leeuwin, one of dozens of warships from 17 nations on the harbour this weekend for the International Fleet Review.
The review, essentially a parade of ships, commemorates the arrival of the original Royal Australian Navy fleet a century ago.
Guests attending a reception for Harry at Kirribilli House, the prime minister's official Sydney residence, had a commanding view of a 30-minute light show and massive fireworks display yesterday night.
An estimated 1.4 million people lined the harbour shores to watch more than 7 metric tons (7.7 tons) of fireworks explode from the decks of warships and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as well as from floating pontoons.
About 40 warships, 16 tall ships and 8,000 sailors are participating in this weekend's celebrations. The participating warships are from the US, China, Britain, Brunei, Micronesia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Spain, Thailand and Tonga.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Oct 06 2013 | 8:35 AM IST

Next Story