Welcoming The Duke and Duchess of Sussex onto the world’s largest sand island took months of secret planning by our resort and touring teams. While we strive to treat every guest like royalty, nothing compares to the excitement of having royal visitors arriving on your doorstep – or jetty, in this case!
Photo Credit: Luke Marsden
While every minute of the official tour was showcased on news stations across the world, it’s the little details of the day that were the highlights for our team behind the scenes.
WHEN HARRY MET ANNIE
The Kingfisher Bay Resort ranger team is loved by visitors and locals, and our weekly ranger-guided activities are always very popular with guests. It was sensational to see the moment when the world’s most famous couple met our own famous “Ranger Annie” and her team broadcast across the news here in Australia and the UK. To say the rangers were excited to chat with Harry & Meghan about life on Fraser Island is an understatement! Watch the full clip here.
DRIVING THE DUKE
During the royal tour of Australia, the protocol is for someone on the palace security team to drive the Duke and Duchess to their engagements. But not on Fraser Island, where they needed local experts to navigate the tough terrain and sandy tracks.
Meet the man behind the wheel: General Manager of Fraser Explorer Tours, Colin Anderson, who was the lucky one to spend the day showing Harry the island’s iconic sights. When asked, if Harry had a spin on the tracks Colin replied “I’m sure he would’ve loved to have given it a go, but we wouldn’t let him!” Read more here. Watch the full clip here.
FLAVOURS FOR A ROYAL PALATE
Harry and Meghan enjoyed a selection of signature dishes from Seabelle Restaurant that are available to order for all of our guests. Since Meghan’s a foodie, we knew she’d love the ‘rainforest to the plate’ concept we’re famous for, incorporating indigenous ingredients from Fraser Island into a fine dining experience. Our chef Udaysen Mohite and Ranger J gave Today Show hosts Karl and Georgie a sampler of our bush tucker sensations on live TV in the morning.
ROYAL R&R AT THE RESORT
Where do you go to escape from the world and relax in nature? Kingfisher Bay Resort, of course! It’s the perfect place for a romantic retreat – now with the royal seal of approval. Our General Manager, David Hay says that "Harry and Meghan were both very friendly and down to earth, and our wild landscapes and laid-back charm on Fraser Island suited them perfectly. They were able to escape from the press and have a night of privacy, tucked away in a secret location within the sprawling resort grounds."
Watch the full video clip for a sneak peek of the royal retreat…
Want a holiday like Harry & Meghan on Fraser Island? Book your very own royal retreat here!
Follow in their royal footsteps as you walk through the rainforest of the Queens Commonwealth Canopy, make a splash on the silica white shores of Lake McKenzie, stroll hand-in-hand along the picturesque Kingfisher Bay jetty, or relax with a glass of bubbles and a view across the bay.
Photo credits: Luke Marsden and Penny Bradfield Auspic DPS
Cheers and here’s to celebrating the amazing paradise we have access to on Fraser Island, we hope to see you here again soon!
The team at Kingfisher Bay Resort
Ps – next time you’re on the ferry to Fraser, don’t forget to wave to our GM’s new mate Harry. 
