Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in Melbourne: Royal frenzy as duchess admits she has a 'long list' of baby names but hasn't made a decision yet

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoyed a classic “Aussie day” of beach lifeguards, Australian Rules football and grilled kangaroo - as Meghan-mania hit Melbourne.

The royal couple were greeted by huge crowds in Australia’s second city on the third day of their “Down Under” tour which also takes in Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.

A crowd of up to 5,000 locals gathered in the Royal Botanical Gardens to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.

Harry and Meghan arrived 20 minutes late for their first engagement of the day in the Victoria state capital after spending longer than expected meeting wellwishers.

India Brown, 19, was overwhelmed when Harry spotted her sign saying: “Been here since 4am, loved you since I was 8.”

She burst into tears as the prince gave her a hug and said to her: “You are going to get me in trouble”.

The Duchess wore a navy blue dress by Australian brand Dion Lee with a camel-coloured trench coat and black stilettos.

The couple’s first engagement - when they eventually got there - was a reception at Melbourne’s Government House.

Meghan was persuaded to throw an Aussie Rules football during a display of activities including netball, yoga, boxercise, cricket, cycling and Zumba from the This Girl Can empowerment campaign.

As she gingerly threw the ball, she admitted: “I’m not sure I did it right!”

But Jerril Rechter, chief executive of VicHealth who showed Meghan around the event, said: “She did pass an AFL football. She did a handball. That’s a pretty incredible thing for anybody to do.

“She had not seen an AFL football before Howard, the governor’s husband, explained to her what it was like - the weight of it is a little bit different, and that you handball it, you don’t pass it.”

The Duchess had a fright during another display.

She and Harry were being shown a display by the F1 in Schools team and were given the chance to race two miniature cars.

On seeing the table-turned-drag race track, Harry joked, “We should put one in Buckingham Palace.”

However, the pupils from Trinity Grammar forgot to tell the couple about the noise generated by the car’s hydraulics when they started.

There was a loud bang as Harry and Meghan pressed the buttons to launch their cars along the state dining room table.

Meghan looked shocked, then doubled over with laughter, as Harry looked on with a smile.

After the morning of engagements, the couple headed to social enterprise cafe Charcoal Lane in the suburb of Fitzroy for lunch.

Chefs trained by the Mission Australia programme, which helps young indigenous Australians into employment, served up a starter of mushroom and quinoa nest and chargrilled kangaroo, followed by main courses of wild boar, saffron risotto and barramundi.

During a tour of the kitchen given by executive chef Greg Hampton, Harry said: “You’ve got a very clean kitchen – is it always this clean? Especially clean today?”

Later in the day youngsters accompanied the couple on a tram trip to the beach. Charlie Wolf, a 12-year-old pupil from Middle Park primary school, asked if the couple had any names for their baby.

The children said Meghan replied: “We’ve been given a long list of names from everyone, we’re going to sit down and have a look at them.”

Ella Burns, also 12, from Albert Park primary school, said: “She said that she hadn’t thought of one as it was still quite early.”

On the sand the couple heard about the work of the BeachPatrol, who work to keep Melbourne’s beaches litter free.

Meghan, who had changed into a black Club Monaco dress and flat shoes, and Harry also spoke to lifeguards.

One lifeguard later said: “We asked them if they were going to go for a swim today but we all decided it was a bit too chilly.”