Prince Harry Breaks Royal Protocol, Hugs Female Fan In Australia

Prince Harry broke royal protocol by doing a sweet gesture to a fan during his visit to Melbourne.

India Brown, 19, broke down in tears at the sight of Prince Harry when he arrived at the Royal Botanical Gardens on Wednesday. When the Duke of Sussex approached her, Brown gestured into a hug and Prince Harry gladly obliged.

“He is someone I have looked up to for many many years. Everything he stands for is amazing. I’ve loved that family since I was eight and I’ve followed them around the world,” she told Daily Mail.

Brown was able to capture Prince Harry’s attention with the help of her adorable sign that read, “Been here since 4 a.m. Loved you since I was eight.” The student acknowledged the fact that she knows hugging the royal meant breaking royal protocol.

“He just said: ‘You are going to get me into trouble.’ It was just such an opportunity and I just went for it. I didn’t expect it to happen because it’s actually against protocol. He reciprocated the hug too. It was awesome,” she said.

Earlier today, Brown spoke with ABC and gushed over the royal family.

“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be here today. I’ve always had a rich passion for everything the royals stand for. It’s going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said.

Brown first met Prince Harry at the Royal Ascot four years ago.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry had the chance to talk to another fan, Jessica, 28, who was with her five—month-old daughter Harriet. The doting mom introduced her baby to the Duke of Sussex, and Prince Harry said Harriet is a nice name.

“As soon as I introduced my daughter to Harry, he said, ‘that’s a great name.’ Maybe they will choose it for their own child, which would be fun. Meghan was right behind him and was playfully tickling her toes and said how sweet it was that I’d brought her out today,” she said (via Express).

Speculations regarding Prince Harry and Markle’s baby’s name have been ripe since Kensington Palace made the announcement about her pregnancy. The latest odds suggest that Diana and Alice could be their top choice for a baby girl’s name.