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Prince Harry scales Sydney Harbour Bridge with Australia's PM Scott Morrison in front of huge crowd of onlookers

Prince Harry took the royals' tour of Australia to dizzying new heights as he scaled the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The Duke of Sussex climbed the iconic landmark along with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, to raise the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 flag.

They were joined by four competitors from the Australian Invictus Games team; Luke Hill, Ruth Hunt, Heidi Joosten and Michael Lyddiard.

Also along for the exhilarating experience was Gwen Cherne, whose late husband Peter Cafe served in Cambodia, Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Tourists and locals gathered below the famous arches to catch a long-distance glimpse of the royal some 130 metres above.

The Duke of Sussex climbs the Sydney Harbour Bridge with Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison (PA)
The Duke of Sussex climbs the Sydney Harbour Bridge with Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison (PA)

"The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an Australian icon and I can think of no better place to raise the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 flag," Mr Morrison said earlier today.

"It will be especially wonderful for the Duke and me to share this moment with members of the Australian Team before they get ready to compete for Australia."

After climbing the bridge, Prince Harry met Australian opposition Leader Bill Shorten who has promised to scrap the monarchy if he ever gains power.

Harry and the VIP group atop the bridge (PA)
Harry and the VIP group atop the bridge (PA)

Mr. Shorten has said he wants a national vote on Australia becoming a republic during the first term of a Labour Government.

Harry and Mr. Shorten shook hands and met for a photo call and a private catch up at Admiralty House, the residence of the Governor General, where the royal couple are staying.

A crowd gathered to watch Harry's efforts (PA)
A crowd gathered to watch Harry's efforts (PA)

Afterwards Harry formally called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison next door at Kirribilli House, his residence for a formal meeting.

The Duchess of Sussex was with Harry earlier on a visit to a girls' school.

Meghan told how her upbringing at an all-girls school and her first job "taking out the trash" made her the person she is today.

She spoke out as Harry urged men to join the drive for female empowerment.

Harry was joined by four competitors from the Invictus Games (PA)
Harry was joined by four competitors from the Invictus Games (PA)

The royal couple, who visited Macarthur Girls High School on the fourth day of their visit to Australia, spoke to teenagers about equality with the Duchess saying she felt “emotional” hearing their passionate views.

The Duke, who is now said to identify as a feminist, told the girls he wants men to add their voices to the fight for equality.

“Men can help as well by getting involved, we have to,” he said. “We need to get men’s voices involved as soon as possible.”

The Duchess of Sussex on Bondai beach during the royals' trip (AP)
The Duchess of Sussex on Bondai beach during the royals' trip (AP)

His wife, who has been a long-term advocate for women’s rights, told students that their projects, including making boxes of supplies for women in need, made her proud.

“You guys all remind me so much of myself when I was growing up,” she told 14-year-old girls. “I went to an all girls school which was incredibly diverse as well.

Meghan meets a local surfing community group OneWave on Bondi Beach (AP)
Meghan meets a local surfing community group OneWave on Bondi Beach (AP)

“I think being around such empowered young women, it becomes something that you all just grasp onto to understand your world.

“It’s made you confident, well-spoken. You have an intention set to really do something to change the world, and you have to keep it up.

“It makes me so emotional. You’re doing really, really good work and I’m so happy that we’re here. We give you our full support.”

“Don’t stop,” the Duke reiterated. “Get more people involved, guys as well.”

Teachers explained that the girls have been taking an “integrated course” on top of their usual studies, to give them “21st century capabilities” including creativity and critical thinking, with “a core focus on making a change in local communities”.

One project saw them make boxes of supplies to donate to vulnerable women via police stations and refuge centres, while another saw them create notebooks to pass forward for students to write about the women who have inspired them.

Coincidentally, one pupil had written about the Duchess long before the royal visit had been announced.

Tahlia Ohenhen, 15, told the Duke and Duchess how another group had created picture books to teach younger children about poverty and encourage them to treat those less fortunate with kindness and empathy.

Describing how they had written and illustrated it, she told the couple: “We were able to put the book together, create it, get it finalised and get it published… I mean printed, sorry.”

“That [getting it published] is the next step,” the Duchess told her, as the girls laughed. “It’s very clever.”

The couple nodded as Tahlia added: “The younger you get your children educated on things like this, the easier it is for them to grow up and be aware of it and make a difference.”

“Kindness and empathy lacks big time in the world,” Harry said. “It’s so great you are passionate about all of this.

“You realise this is the generation that’s going to make all the difference?”

Later in the morning, the Duke and Duchess were introduced to teenage boys and girls from the In League In Harmony project from the NFL, which aims to unite young people from diverse communities to be “advocates for positive change in their communities”.

Sitting separately, with a mixed-sex group each, the couple listened to young people’s growing up in Australia, and day to day lives.

As one young man told the Duchess about his part-time job, she empathised: “My first job when I was 14, I remember taking out the trash, all sorts. It give you a good work ethic, right?”

She joined groups of students from across different schools in Sydney who have been introduced via the programme, which teaches them: “Everybody belongs.”

“It’s so important,” said the Duchess. “All these people you know of in your neighbourhood, now you know them and you’re united.

“You’re proud of where you’re from, you can champion where you’re from and make people see it for what it is.”

The Duke, sitting with a second group of youngsters, joked that he was “clinging onto my youth at the age of 34,” saying he now looked to the younger generation for inspiration.

“We’re so lucky that wherever we go in the world, we’re finding young people like you guys. This sweeping wave of kindness and optimism and empathy that’s seems to be lacking in some of the previous generation. You guys get a kick out of that, right?”

The Royal couple arrived at Macarthur Girls School on Friday morning, where their “surprise” appearances turned out to be the worst-kept secret on campus.

As Gladys Berejiklian, the Premier of New South Wales, teased them about being overexcited to see her, the teenagers fizzed with anticipation until the Duke and Duchess were finally introduced.

Then, cheers and excited screams filled the air as they walked outside to meet the well-behaved girls, who had been sitting neatly for assembly.

Invited to sit on a park bench in the centre, the couple watched a ballet-inspired dance performance from students to the song “Power of Love” before heading inside for the workshops.