With the announcement that Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are expecting their first child, Dubbo's Virginia Carter decided to create a personalised gift for the royal baby that pays homage to Australia, and Dubbo.
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Ms Carter knitted a pair of R.M. booties made from 100 per cent Australian wool. She hopes to personally give the booties to the royal couple while they’re at Victoria Park on Wednesday
Ms Carter had an inkling the Duchess of Sussex was pregnant after hearing she would’t be doing the Harbour Bridge Climb with Harry.
“I thought wouldn’t it be funny if they get to Australia and announce that they’re having a baby. I thought this about three weeks ago,” Ms Carter said.
“When they announced Harry was doing the Harbour Bridge Climb and she wasn’t.. I thought that was odd.”
Ms Carter’s hunch was right, because on Monday night they announced a royal bub was on the way, so she frantically started creating the booties in time for their stop over to Dubbo.
Luckily it only took her about two hours to finish.
Ms Carter said the R.M inspired booties are uniquely Dubbo and 100 per cent Australian wool.
She will be at Victoria Park bright and early to secure a good spot in the hopes of personally handing over the knitted booties to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex while they are here for the Picnic in the Park.
“I think they’ll get a kick (out of the booties),” Ms Carter said.
“All babies are precious but the first baby is amazing and I just think it’s a lovely, happy, positive thing.”
Ms Carter has been knitting ever since she was seven-years-old.
She has been involved in various knitting events across the city for years, including the red knitted poppies for Anzac remembrance services and Wrap with Love.
Ms Carter is a huge fan of the royals, and is especially fond of Harry, who is in Australia for the 2018 Sydney Invictus Games.
Prince Harry is a returned serviceman, and Ms Carter is the daughter of a returned soldier and has had friends who served in the Vietnam war.
“The fact that he (Prince Harry) is here for the Invictus Games makes it all the more sweeter for me,” she said.
Ms Carter said the returned soldiers competing in the 2018 Sydney Invictus Games have still got the war going on in their head.
“Just because you can’t see their injuries doesn't mean they’re not injured,” she said.
I thought wouldn’t it be funny if they get to Australia and announce that they’re having a baby.
- Virginia Carter.
“I think these Games will be a great spotlight on helping and assisting all returned service personnel.”
Another reason why Ms Carter has a soft spot for Harry is because he reminds her of her son Jordan, who sadly passed away at the age of 32.
“Harry’s colouring reminds me of my son… and he is the same age that Jordan would have been... ,” she said.
Seeing the royals isn’t something new for the self-confessed royalist, who first got a glimpse of the Queen when she visited Kalgoolie in 1954.
“My father held me above his head as the procession went by… then the Queen Mother came to Manly when we were with our Grandmother in 1957. I’d only just started school and were were all given a medal and half a day off school to see her,” Ms Carter said.
Over the years Ms Carter has seen the royals during their various trips to Australia in 1973, 1977, 1988 and 1992 for the first Royal trip to Dubbo.
“I’m a Royal tragic,” Ms Carter laughed.