BATHURST has made the shortlist for a regional royal visit later this year by Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
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The couple will be in Sydney in October for the Invictus Games, and a regional pit stop is on the cards.
Bathurst and the Hunter Valley were earmarked as possible destinations back in May, and the Central West city has since made the shortlist as a host city.
Member for Bathurst Paul Toole met with organisers of the Invictus Games last Wednesday, and said some other host cities who expressed interest in having the royal couple visit have since been notified they have missed out, however he said Bathurst in still in the mix.
“The idea is still alive, we’re still in it,” he said.
“The location won’t be confirmed for a while, probably about one month out.”
Mr Toole was behind the push to have Bathurst included as a possible host city.
As Minister for Racing he assisted the Minister for Veterans Affairs and Minister for Clubs co-host Prince Harry’s last visit to Australia to promote the Games last June. Through that connection, Mr Toole recommended the royal couple visit regional NSW.
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Mr Toole said it is up to the couple, and Kensington Palace to decide the couple’s schedule, and said it would be “pretty amazing” if the couple came to Bathurst as part of their Australian visit in October.
“We’re going to have to wait it out (until an announcement is made) but at this stage we’re still in the game,” he said.
He said if the city was successful in his bid, the benefits to the region would be amazing, predicting fans of the royal couple would travel hundreds of kilometres just to see a glimpse of them.
We’re going to have to wait it out (until an announcement is made) but at this stage we’re still in the game.
- Member for Bathurst Paul Toole
Bathurst councillor Monica Morse back in May the proposal to bring the royal couple to Bathurst was “fabulous”.
“Wouldn’t that be something,” she said.
She said she already had a few ideas about what Harry and Meghan could do during their visit.
“We saw on television they left the reception in an electric Jag, wouldn’t it be amazing if we could get our hands on an electric Tesla and take around the Mount,” she said.
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“I understand he’s into modern technology so it would be great if we could get a Tesla.
“We managed to a vintage car for Quentin Bryce (former Australian Governor General) to go around the Mount in, so I’m sure we could find a Tesla,” she said.
