'I was front and centre for Meghan and Harry's arrival in Melbourne - one thing was abundantly clear'

There's nothing quite like the excitement and fever over a royal tour Down Under.

Except, Prince Harry and Meghan's visit to Australia – their first since sensationally leaving Buckingham Palace behind for a new life in the US – is supposed to be anything but "royal".

You'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex breezed into the The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne today on the first stop of their private four-day tour.

I was standing metres away from the former royals when they arrived, and it was hard not to feel the magic of their decidedly non-royal presence.

Despite the fact the couple are only here in a "private" capacity, their visit looks, feels and smells exactly like a regular royal tour.

For one thing, the entire visit is billed as one conducted by the "Duke and Duchess of Sussex".

Their royal titles remain front and centre, despite them being private citizens.

And Meghan mastered the graceful poise of a seasoned royal during her time in the fold and it is on full display in Melbourne.

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Her attention was trained on young patients and staff at the hospital as she made her way through the throng of waiting fans.

She accepted flowers, doled out hugs and handshakes and patiently posed for selfies.

A four-year-old patient, Lily, presented the couple with a hand-drawn sign that said "Welcome Harry and Meghan" and gave a single flower to the duchess.

Meghan hugged Lily after being presented with the gifts, telling her: "Oh my gosh, this is so sweet. I love it."

The waiting journalists and photographers, who Meghan and Harry had their backs to for most of the visit, were merely white noise.

She turned and smiled briefly after I took the opportunity to call out and welcome her to Australia.

But her focus on the patients was razor-sharp.

Harry, meanwhile, remained in protective mode – a well-practiced dynamic of their relationship.

When he could, the Duke of Sussex kept an arm around Meghan's waist and gently guided her through as they spoke with as many people they could.

His behaviour was a remnant of their first visit in 2018, when Meghan was a newcomer to the royal family and needed guidance.

After 10 to 15 minutes, the Sussexes were whisked away for the private part of their visit.

This is almost scene-for-scene exactly how a normal royal tour would unfold.

Harry's parents, Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, visited the Royal Children's Hospital in 1985, meeting patients while on a visit to the state of Victoria.

The hospital's new site was opened in October 2011 by Elizabeth II, who met with patients during her visit on her royal tour of Australia with Prince Philip.

Australia's Queen Mary of Denmark and King Frederik X's visit to Melbourne last month looked very similar.

There are even whispers that there will be taxpayer-funded police protection for Harry and Meghan during their trip, despite assurances it is privately-funded.

However, the Sussexes organised this trip without any government or taxpayer-funded help.

It was up to their small team and the staff at each venue they visit to ensure everything happens smoothly.

Harry will also continue the legacy of his late mother Princess Diana's charity work with an appearance at a Movember event at Melbourne's Whitten Oval with players from the Western Bulldogs AFL team tomorrow.

But this kind of charity work is only part of the reason for their trip.

The money-making side hustles are what make Harry and Meghan's visit very different.

Prince Harry will be giving a keynote speech at a summit later this week, where tickets are priced at up to $2,400 per person.

Meghan, meanwhile, is the headliner at an exclusive Sydney beach retreat in Coogee, where tickets start at $2699.

Early bird tickets to the retreat with Meghan started at $2699, while the VIP experience costs $3199 per person.

It is unclear how much profit, if at all, the couple are expected to made during this tour.

But one thing is clear: if they were still working royals, these events would not be happening.

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