It took a sign from a 12-year-old Canberra boy for Prince Harry to declare his redhead pride out loud.
Ethan Toscan spent three hours making his placard that shouted proudly: "Red Heads Rule!"
And the prince agreed when saw the sign as he wandered among the thousand-strong crowd greeting him at the Australian War Memorial on Monday.
"He said that I was fabulous in making the sign and it's awesome to be a redhead," ginger-haired Ethan told AAP.
"I'm over the moon - it's just wow! I got to shake his hand!"
The visiting prince almost walked past Ethan but the schoolboy's cheers and shouts eventually attracted Harry's attention, a high-five and a hand-shake.
Rain did nothing to dampen the crowd's mood as the "people's prince" and British army captain waved away an umbrella.
Emily Hasilias, 11, from Queanbeyan, shared a joke with the prince as she handed Harry a toy koala.
"He's really funny - he just joked and I laughed," the schoolgirl told AAP.
"He's like `what's this?' I said `a koala' and he's like `I know what a koala is!'"
Others like 14-year old Briahana Anderson were keen to snap a selfie with a prince.
"I like his personality. He's friendly and personable," she said.
Helen Edmonds had brought two family plaques, including one of her grandfather who served at Gallipoli, to show Harry because of his interest in returned injured soldiers.
"I thought this might be something that he might relate to," she told AAP.
"He's here to commemorate those who gave their lives."
Politicians were also spotted in the crowd.
Federal Nationals MP Bruce Scott said he just wanted to catch a glimpse of Harry before flying out of Canberra.
"It's just wonderful he's going to end his military duties here in Australia," he said.
Harry has arrived in Australia to take up a month-long secondment with the Australian army before retiring from the British defence force.
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