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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to embark on first royal tour as married couple - taking in 76 engagements over 16 days

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are set to embark on their first royal tour as a married couple.

Starting on Tuesday, they will visit Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand – taking in a massive 76 engagements on the 16-day trip.

The tour coincides with the Invictus Games in Sydney, which was founded by Harry himself in 2014. The Games give injured veterans the chance to compete in sports such as wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball.

In Fiji, the duke and duchess will be greeted with an arrival ceremony similar to one attended by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in 1953. Here they will meet Fijian war veterans.

After Tonga, the tour will conclude with a four-day trip to New Zealand, where they will be greeted by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of Sussex pictured at Princess Eugenie's wedding on Friday (Gareth Fuller/PA)
The Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of Sussex pictured at Princess Eugenie's wedding on Friday (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Meghan and Harry will learn about environmental challenges while in Wellington, and visit a charity which supports children with parents in prison.

They will return to London from Auckland on November 1.

Kensington Palace said in a statement: "There is a long history of friendship between the Royal Family and Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand, and their links with the UK are extensive.

"The duke and duchess are very much looking forward to experiencing the unique cultures and customs of those four Commonwealth countries and have asked that this tour allow them opportunities to meet as many Australians, Fijians, Tongans, and New Zealanders as possible."

The couple will be hoping to avoid further mid-air scares on their numerous flights during the tour – it emerged on Sunday that their £40m private was struck by lightning last month.

Additional reporting by Press Association.