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Prince William
Wills Down Under
WILLS DOWN UNDER
On an unofficial yet personally requested tour, Prince William has visited Australia for the first time since 1983, when he arrived as a nine-month-old baby in the arms of his mother, Princess Diana.
The 27-year-old flew over from New Zealand, where he had been on his first official visit representing his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
His main intention was to visit the areas and residents most affected by the devastating bushfires of 2009.
He was greeted warmly by Aborigines of the Sydney suburb of Redfern, where he went through the traditional smoking ceremony that Australia's indigenous people use to welcome guests.
On arrival he was first met by Australian Governor General Ms. Quentin Bryce and they were both joined by national celebrities Delta Goodrem, cricketer Michael Clarke and Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham.
Other items on his agenda include meeting Australian soldiers in Sydney and Melbourne communities rocked by the huge bushfires.
In a recent poll of 1,203 Australians, 58% preferred Prince William to be their next monarch, compared to the 30% that opted for his father Prince Charles.
The pro- and anti-monarchy lobbies in Australia are virtually split down the middle.
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