Prince Harry and his pregnant wife Meghan Markle – now the Duchess of Sussex – arrived to a warm welcome in Fiji on Oct. 23.
The royal couple stepped on to a red carpet that had been laid out for them as they disembarked their Qantas plane which had flown from Australia.
Meghan wowed in a white Zimmerman dress as she stepped off the plane, accessorised with a hat by Stephen Jones.
Her earrings were a gift from the Queen and the bracelet was given by the Prince of Wales.
Prince Harry also looked dapper in a grey suit with medals adorning his chest.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were greeted upon arrival in Fiji by a Guard of Honour at Nausori Airport.
“Now that’s how you arrive to a new country!,” Australian fashion expert Donny Galella told New Idea.
“Meghan looks sensational. As we have seen on this tour she loves black and white.
“The side swept hair, black heels, black clutch and the beret style hat are perfect.”
The expert added that Zimmerman is “one of biggest brands from Australia right now”.
“It’s so great that Meghan has chosen such a huge Australian brand,” he said.
“That outfit is classic, effortless and chic.”
People looked from fields near the runway for a glimpse of the royals as they landed on a plane from Hervey Bay, Queensland.
After disembarking from their charter flight in light rain and strong winds, forcing the Duchess to hold on to her hat, the couple were introduced to the Hon Frank Bainamara, Fiji’s Prime Minister and his wife, Maria, Ro Teimumu Kepa, leader of the opposition, Alessandro Truppia, the High Commissioner’s wife and Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto, commander of the RFMF.
The Duchess was presented with a bouquet of flowers by a flower girl from the chiefly island of Bau, the island home of Ratu Apensia Cakobau, who ceded Fiji to Britain in 1874. The Queen previously visited Bau in 1982.
Harry then made his way to a dais on the runway and Harry observed a royal salute, Meghan positioned a few metres behind him with the welcome party, as the national anthem was played and the red carpets on the tarmac blew off in the strong wind.
The Duke was then invited to inspect the guard of honour made up of the 3rd Battalion Fiji Infantry Regiment and the Fiji Navy.
Harry and Meghan then left for their next engagement, a meeting with Fiji’s President, Jioji Konrote.
As the couple’s convoy left the airport, hundreds of wellwishers had lined the road out of the airport, waving flags and cheering.
Later today they will attend an official welcome ceremony at Albert Park known as the Veirqaraqaravi Vakavanua, embodying Fijian cultural identity and heritage, echoing an event attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh during their Commonwealth tour in 1953.
This evening, the Duke and Duchess will attend a black for dinner at the Grand Pacific Hotel, hosted by the president, where the Duke will give a speech.
Earlier in the day a smiling Meghan had waved to photographers as she boarded the Qantas flight with her husband – the Duke of Sussex.
She looked casual in a white shirt and black skinny jeans – possibly making sure she was not chilly on board the flight.
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