
The Duchess of Sussex has revealed how her upbringing at an all-girls school and her first job 'taking out the trash' as a 14-year-old girl has made her 'the person she is today'.

And her husband Prince Harry urged men to join the drive for female empowerment as the royal couple visited Macarthur Girls High School on the fourth day of their whistle-stop tour of Australia.

The couple have taken the country by storm since arriving earlier this week ahead of a two-week tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

Earlier in the day, they joined an 'anti-bad vibes' circle with surfers on Bondi Beach before making a surprise visit with schoolchildren during their morning assembly.

Meghan spoke passionately to teenagers about equality, with the Duchess - who has even put her 'feminist manifesto' on the Buckingham Palace website - saying she felt 'emotional' hearing their passionate views.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Macarthur Girls High School on the fourth day of their whistle-stop tour of Australia

Meghan changed from her Martin Grant maxi beach dress into a sleeveless navy dress as she and Harry arrived at the girls school in the city following a visit to the beach

Prince Harry and Meghan's school visit was their second official engagement of the day. Above, they are seen being entertained by a dance group, ahead of a chat with pupils in which they spoke about equality and work ethic

Meghan spoke passionately to teenagers about equality, with the Duchess - who has even put her 'feminist manifesto' on the Buckingham Palace website - saying she felt 'emotional' hearing their passionate views

Harry, who is now said to identify as a feminist, told the girls he wants men to add their voices to the fight for equality.

'Men can help as well by getting involved, we have to,' he said. 'We need to get men's voices involved as soon as possible.'

His wife, who has been a long-term advocate for women's rights, told students that their projects, including making boxes of supplies for women in need, made her proud.

'You guys all remind me so much of myself when I was growing up,' she told 14-year-old girls.

'I went to an all girls school which was incredibly diverse as well. I think being around such empowered young women, it becomes something that you all just grasp onto to understand your world.

'It's made you confident, well-spoken. You have an intention set to really do something to change the world, and you have to keep it up.

Schoolgirls wait eagerly with their mobile phones ready to go before the arrival of the royal mother and father-to-be

The Duchess of Sussex is seen speaking to a teacher during a visit to Macarthur Girls High School in Sydney on Friday

Teachers explained that the girls have been taking an 'integrated course' on top of their usual studies, to give them '21st century capabilities' including creativity and critical thinking

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian (left), along with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, watch a dance performance at the Sydney school

'It makes me so emotional. You're doing really, really good work and I'm so happy that we're here. We give you our full support.'

'Don't stop,' the Prince reiterated. 'Get more people involved, guys as well.'

The Royal couple arrived at Macarthur Girls School on Friday morning, where their 'surprise' appearances turned out to be the worst-kept secret on campus.

As Gladys Berejiklian, the Premier of New South Wales, teased them about being overexcited to see her, the teenagers fizzed with anticipation until the Duke and Duchess were finally introduced.

Then, cheers and excited screams filled the air as they walked outside to meet the well-behaved girls, who had been sitting neatly for assembly.

Invited to sit on a park bench in the centre, the couple watched a ballet-inspired dance performance from students to the song 'Power of Love' before heading inside for the workshops.

Teachers explained that the girls have been taking an 'integrated course' on top of their usual studies, to give them '21st century capabilities' including creativity and critical thinking, with 'a core focus on making a change in local communities'.

The royals look on during their surprise visit to the school in Sydney's west on Friday. The pair were entertained with a dance to the Frankie Goes To Hollywood version of The Power of Love

A student's tribute to Meghan is pictured above during her visit to Macarthur Girls High School in Sydney on Friday

The Duchess of Sussex told students how her upbringing at an all-girls school and her first job 'taking out the trash' has made her 'the person she is today'

The couple heard about the National Rugby League's In Harmony program, which aims to unite and empower young people to be advocates of positive change

One project saw them make boxes of supplies to donate to vulnerable women via police stations and refuge centres, while another saw them create notebooks to pass forward for students to write about the women who have inspired them.

Coincidentally, one pupil had written about the Duchess long before the royal visit had been announced.

Tahlia Ohenhen, 15, told the Duke and Duchess how another group had created picture books to teach younger children about poverty and encourage them to treat those less fortunate with kindness and empathy.

The couple nodded as Tahlia added: 'The younger you get your children educated on things like this, the easier it is for them to grow up and be aware of it and make a difference.'

'Kindness and empathy lacks big time in the world,' Harry said. 'It's so great you are passionate about all of this.

'Do you realise this is the generation that's going to make all the difference?'

Later in the morning, the Duke and Duchess were introduced to teenage boys and girls from the In League In Harmony project from the NFL.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are seen with students at Macarthur Girls High School in Sydney's west on Friday

Prince Harry and Meghan watch a dance performance on a visit to Macarthur Girls High School, where the duchess gave pupils an inspiring speech about equality and her own upbringing

Sitting separately, with a mixed-sex group each, the couple listened to young people's growing up in Australia, and day to day lives.

As one young man told the Duchess about his part-time job, she empathised: 'My first job when I was 14, I remember taking out the trash, all sorts. It give you a good work ethic, right?'

She joined groups of students from across different schools in Sydney who have been introduced via the programme, which teaches them: 'Everybody belongs.'

'It's so important,' said the Duchess. 'All these people you know of in your neighbourhood, now you know them and you're united.

'You're proud of where you're from, you can champion where you're from and make people see it for what it is.'

Haeey, sitting with a second group of youngsters, joked that he was 'clinging onto my youth at the age of 34,' saying he now looked to the younger generation for inspiration.

'We're so lucky that wherever we go in the world, we're finding young people like you guys.

'This sweeping wave of kindness and optimism and empathy that's seems to be lacking in some of the previous generation. You guys get a kick out of that, right?'

Earlier in the day, Prince Harry and Meghan met a local surfing community group, and playfully pulled at the cape of a toddler (pictured) on Bondi Beach