Prince Harry practises Invictus Games opening ceremony speech in front of proud wife Meghan

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were met by crowds of well-wishers as they arrived at the reception of the 2018 Invictus Games today.

Prince Harry and Meghan were welcomed to the reception hosted by New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian later before the opening ceremony at the Sydney Opera House.

But just a few hours earlier Harry was pictured making his final speech preparations ahead of the competition's opening ceremony.

The image showed the Duke practising his speech at Sydney Opera House in a rare moment of solitude with his wife Meghan.

The proud duchess took a front row seat to watch her husband take to the stage during their official 16-day Autumn tour.

The Invictus Games was founded by Prince Harry in 2014.

The couple are due to visit cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand throughout the tour.

Earlier on Saturday the couple attended the Anzac Memorial service in Hyde Park to pay tribute to Australia's war dead and unveil an extension to the memorial.

Harry and Meghan then took in the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge at the city's Cockatoo Island as part of the Invictus Games.

They later arrived at the delayed opening reception of the Invictus Games at Sydney Opera House.

The couple’s arrival was delayed by around half an hour after a huge thunder storm threatened to make the opening of the event a wash out.

The city and opera house was hit by lightning bolts and dark clouds swirling overhead.

The opening ceremony is due to start at 10.30am (UK time).