Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have only been Down Under for three days and there are already too many precious moments to count. But on Wednesday, October 17, a 5-year-old boy named Luke Vincent stole the show when he embraced the royal couple in Dubbo, New South Wales.
Luke, who was born with Down syndrome, was on hand to greet Harry, 34, and the pregnant Suits alum when they landed at the airport. The flower-clutching kindergartner reached over to stroke Harry’s beard, before handing over the bouquet to Meghan. In return, Luke received warm hugs from the parents-to-be.
Anne Van Dartel, principal of Buninyong Public School, where Luke is a student, watched the scene unfold and was nervous because they had been told there could be no touching. “I was very concerned when he started rubbing Prince Harry’s face and his hair, but Prince Harry was completely gracious and was so polite and realized what was happening,” Van Dartel told 7 News on Wednesday. “We can only thank him so much for treating Luke with such respect [as] he didn’t understand the situation.”
Van Dartel explained that Luke loves beards. “Luke’s favorite person [was] Santa Claus . . . and now it’s Prince Harry,” she told the Australian outlet. “Luke waited beautifully today.”
Prince Harry and Meghan, 37, kicked off a 16-day tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonja and New Zealand on Tuesday. On Monday, Kensington Palace announced that the newlyweds are expecting their fist child in spring 2019.
A source told Us Weekly that Meghan is in her second trimester, “just shy of her 15-week mark,” and due around May 2.
“Harry is elated and beside himself,” an insider told Us. “Meghan is feeling amazing. She is excited, happy and over the moon. She’s in great health so far.”
