PRINCE Harry - the playboy royal and fourth in line to the British throne - is expected to receive a hats-off three cheers royal salute from thousands of sailors on Sydney Harbour next month.
It is understood Harry will be accompanied by Governor-general Quentin Bryce when he takes the royal salute by sailing past some 40 warships on board a royal barge or another navy boat.
According to well-placed sources the prince is odds-on to be guest of honour at the Royal Australian Navy's centenary celebrations, however no official announcement will be made until a week before the gala event on Sydney Harbour between October 3 and 10.
"It is highly likely that Harry will be in Sydney although no details have been firmed up,'' a source said.
The International Fleet Review will mark the 100th anniversary of the arrival in Sydney of the brand new seven-ship Royal Australian Navy fleet led by the flagship HMAS Australia in October 1913.
The centenary will be officially celebrated on October 5 with a royal review by the prince of 21 RAN vessels and 19 overseas warships as well as 16 tall ships that will sail into the harbour on October 3.
Each warship will formally salute the HMAS Sydney memorial on Bradleys Head as they enter the harbour on October 4.
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| Prince Harry stands in front of an Apache Helicopter a few days after the royal, a trainee Apache helicopter pilot, passed the half-decade milestone to become a captain. Source: Getty Images |
The review will also feature fly-pasts by 37 types of military and civilian aircraft ranging from helicopters to Hornet jet fighters.
Palace sources remain tight-lipped about any trip to Australia.
A spokesman for Kensington Palace, Prince Harry's official mouthpiece, said it simply was not currently in a position to comment.
"Announcements of overseas visits by members of the Royal Family are made in due course after an official invitation is received,'' the spokesman said.
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| Prince Harry visits The Royal Marines Tamar on August 2, 2013. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images |
On the question of whether his current girlfriend Cressida Bonas was also planning to visit Sydney at the same time, the spokesman said that was a matter for her, but there were no plans for her to accompany Prince Harry on any trip whether domestic or overseas.
Royal commentators scoffed at rumours that a royal would ever take a girlfriend on an overseas trip, as completely contrary to all protocols for any official royal or government official.
The centrepiece of the International Fleet review will be a fireworks and light show spectacular focused on the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House on the evening of Saturday October 5.
For the first time Australia's fireworks capital will see pyrotechnics launched from the decks of navy warships.
A fleet of eight tall ships took sail on Port Phillip Bay participating in events leading up to International Fleet Day in Sydney next month. Source: News Limited
This will signal the start of the biggest party seen in Sydney since the Bicentenary with 8000 cashed up sailors and tens of thousands of revellers set to spend up to $100 million during the week-long celebration that will cost taxpayers about $6 million to stage.
A projection show will be seen on both sides of the Opera House sails, the eastern side of the Harbour Bridge pylons and the roof of the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour.
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| Britain's Prince Harry. Picture: Source: AP |
Prince Harry or Captain Wales, 30, is a British Army helicopter pilot and Afghanistan war veteran and has visited Australia once before - in 2003, when he spent most of his time working on a Queensland sheep station.
The NSW Government has been lobbying hard for his possible visit to be turned into a full-blown Royal tour, but that is unlikely given his heavy work commitments.
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