The Duchess of Sussex was advised to “take care of herself” on her royal tour today when she met a Russian doctor at an official reception on the Pacific island state of Tonga.
The visit is the most remote part of the couple’s 16-day tour, which also includes Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.
In the evening after their arrival the couple were driven to Consular House for an audience with King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u before a reception and dinner.
At the reception they met an array of dignitaries, including Justice Charles Cato, a New Zealand judge and his Russian wife Miriam.
Mrs Cato said: “I asked, how does she feel? She responded, ‘Very well, thank you.’ I said, ‘No visible signs yet!’”
That prompted the duchess, who was wearing a dress by Theia, to look down at front of her dress and laugh in agreement.
Mrs Cato, 41, added: “As a doctor I was a bit concerned to about her taking all these long trips. I’m a mother of two.
"I know how it feels. I asked her to take care of herself. She promised to do so.”
Pregnancy also came up in the conversation when the couple met Melenaite Tangi, 72, who recalled meeting Charles and Diana at a garden party in Auckland during the couple’s tour of New Zealand in 1983.
“1983?” replied Harry. “That’s the year before I was born. Was she pregnant? Secretly?”
The couple met an array of government ministers at the reception, including the environment minister.
Harry told him that he was “a very important man” as he and Meghan discussed with him the effect of global warming on sea levels.
He told the education minister: “Thank you for giving the schoolchildren the day off, to line the street from the airport. It was very nice to see so many Tongan flags.”
They also met a Japanese couple, prompting a conversation about the forthcoming rugby world cup in Japan.
The duke said: “I am looking forward to the world cup. I hope Japan gets to the final, or even wins. After all, they beat South Africa four years ago.”
The reception was followed by a dinner hosted by the king and queen.
The king, who succeeded to the throne after the death of his brother, King George Tupou V, was educated in Britain and served in the Tongan Naval Forces before taking on a succession of government roles, including prime minister.
