Royal fans are always left swooning after catching a glimpse of Prince Harry during his visits to Sydney but this time it was his wife Meghan who had the public in awe.
After hours of waiting, thousands of fans erupted in delight when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex descended the stairs of the Opera House holding hands.
The royal couple briefly parted ways to shake hands and warmly embrace some of those who had been waiting since early Tuesday morning.
Meghan, whose pregnancy was announced on Monday night, wore a beige trench coat over a tight-fitting cream dress by Australian designer Karen Gee that revealed a barely-there baby bump.
Many fans who started lining up outside the Opera House at 7am were rewarded with a royal greeting, including 98-year-old war widow Daphne Dunne, who has met Harry twice before and asked him to introduce her to his new wife.
"She said she had heard all about me, she's so beautiful," Mrs Dunne told AAP.
In another heart-melting moment Prince Harry knelt down to talk with young girls holding bouquets but the duke was gently snubbed in favour of his wife who graciously accepted the flowers.
The walkabout was the first opportunity for the public to interact with the couple - and to be the first to congratulate them after Meghan's pregnancy was announced.
One young female fan wearing a T-shirt that read "girls can do it" in acknowledgement of Meghan's humanitarian and gender equality work squealed with excitement after Her Royal Highness approached her.
Sethunya Gibbons, 9, said Meghan spotted her shirt from the crowd and said to her: "It's true, girls can do it".
NSW Central Coast woman Megan Jones lined up early in the hope of seeing Harry and Meghan after already having a brush with royalty when she met Harry's mother Diana during her 1983 trip to Sydney.
"I went up to her and shook her hand ... She had a beautiful energy about her," Ms Jones told AAP outside the Opera House.
Ms Jones says she sees the same energy in Prince Harry and Meghan.
Royal enthusiast Craig Gill, who wore a cap signed by Prince William, had been waiting since 6am to see the loved-up couple.
He says the duke and duchess represent something new for the royals.
"They've lifted the game and turned it around ... they're an exciting new thing to happen," he told AAP.
Their Royal Highnesses were plied with gifts from well wishers which included koala teddy bears, flowers, T-shirts and CDs.
Australian fags were flapping furiously in the wind as people waved in anticipation, brandishing signs featuring affectionate messages with one young girl declaring "Evie loves Harry" on her sign.
Evie Treacy, 6, and her seven-year-old sister Dempsey had stayed up until 1am making their brightly coloured banner.
They waited nearly five hours to hand the royal couple a teddy bear each as an early gift for their baby which they hope turns out "just as pretty" as Meghan.
Patricia Handy and her six-year-old daughter Wahta were also lucky enough to see the royals and were both screaming with joy after Meghan shook their hands.
"I can't even remember what she said ... I'm trembling from excitement," Ms Handy told AAP.
"That's what you call a real princess."
