I spent a morning with Prince Harry. It wasn't at all like I expected.

As a beauty and fashion editor, reporting on royalty is not my usual beat.

But when you get the call to cover the Melbourne stop on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Australian not-royal royal tour, you put on your sunscreen and a collared shirt, and get to work.

2026 marks the first time Harry and Megs have visited Australia since their wildly successful 2018 'engagement' tour… and the whole stepping down as official royals and defecting to California thing.

Amongst a whirlwind four-day schedule of children's hospital visits, veteran advocacy, war memorial viewings and corporate keynotes, the Duke of Sussex spent his hump day morning raising awareness for men's mental health.

Watch: What the late Queen really thought about Harry and Meghan… post continues below.

The reason for Prince Harry's appearance is a worthy one: to highlight new research commissioned by the Movember Institute of Men's Health that shows the scale of unmet mental health support for Australian fathers.

According to the More Than A Provider report, three in five new fathers are never asked about their mental health during their partner's pregnancy or in the first year after birth. Along with the Duke, Movember and leading parenting organisations are calling on the Australian Government to introduce routine mental health screening for new fathers during the perinatal period in order to strengthen support for all families.

Apart from the obvious, what struck me was just how different a royal engagement this was.

No fanfare. No hectic security. No bowing or curtsying. And sadly for this reporter, no Meghan.

Just a bunch of dads (and 50 or so reporters and camera crew, MPs and advocates, a handful of Western Bulldogs AFL players and two purple Wiggles) kicking around a footy, bonding over the new parenthood trenches and swapping lessons learnt in therapy.

A very serious recap of Prince Harry's Melbourne visit.

The first thing I noticed upon arrival at Whitten Oval in Footscray, home to the Western Bulldogs AFL team, was how little (visible) security there was on site.

There were no barricades or crowds of people lining up to see the royals. No unmarked security vehicles or men in black suits speaking into earpieces.

Me with a tiny Prince Harry in the background. Image: Supplied.

So chill was the atmosphere, I spotted a lone security guard in high vis, and the only people standing out front were die-hard footy fans confused about why news crews were at training. I even overheard a few Western Bulldogs players talking about how they'd only found out 'a prince' was coming to their workplace the day before.

Prince Harry entered the room from a discreet side entrance with a modest team of publicists, videographers and no more than two or three personal security.

Despite Gen Z fashion advice that dictates skinny jeans are cringe, the Duke was dressed in a pair of faded black skinny jeans; no belt. Maybe the rules are different for men…?

Prince Harry spoke candidly with Dr. Zac Seidler, the Movember Institute's Global Director of Research about his experience of fatherhood and mental health.

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. Image: Getty.

I'm 80 per cent sure that's me. Image: Getty.

We weren't permitted to record the conversation, but the chat touched on everything from 'upgrading' from his experience of being parented, and the advice his own therapist gave him about what happens when the "pure excitement" of bringing a baby home "turns to pure dread", to the importance of "over offering" to support your partner, and why the slack he gets for talking about mental health only makes him want to advocate harder.

Oh, and how "women are awesome".

Prince Harry was referred to as the Duke throughout — not to be confused with The Duke from Bridgerton — and only one redhead joke was made over the course of the morning (although Prince Harry prefers the term 'ginger').

Then, we all went out onto the footy oval, where Prince Harry learning to kick a Sherrin was somewhat overshadowed by an acoustic performance of Fruit Salad by purple Wiggles Lachy Gillespie and John Pearce (also known as Hot Wiggle).

John Pearce the Purple Wiggle. Image: Supplied.

Look at that technique! Image: Supplied.

Moments later.... Image: Supplied.

The Duke took time to say hello to babies. No children were hit by rogue footballs. And then, he made his Irish exit.

As my Uber driver pulled away from the venue, passing a small crowd of Bulldogs fans eager to glimpse Marcus Bontempelli, he asked if something was going on.

"The Prince was there," I replied, to which he answered, "The Prince of England? Does he play football?"

You can learn more about the Movember Institute of Men's Health at au.movember.com, and read the full More Than A Provider report here.

Feature image: Supplied.