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HOBART - Crown Princess Mary narrowly avoided a spray of echidna urine and her year-old son, Prince Christian, who's nicknamed "kingaroo", kicked a marsupial.
Welcome to the world of the royal photo opportunity.
About 60 international journalists and photographers were yesterday lured to Bonorong Wildlife Park, north of Hobart, for the Danish royals' only official appearance of their private Australian visit.
The event began sedately, with Crown Prince Frederik carrying his son as rangers led the royal family towards the waiting media throng.
Christian hesitantly patted a koala but was more curious about the media attention as thousands of camera shutters ruined any semblance of serenity in the park.
Rangers also offered up blue-tongued lizards, a wombat and a range of other picturesque Aussie wildlife to the royal family.
But the visit soon took a comical turn as Australian-born Mary dodged a spray of echidna urine and the offending animal was quickly taken away.
"Very close," said the Princess.
Rangers then returned with a small pademelon, a gentle and harmless type of wallaby, which was swiftly rewarded with a kick in the head from Christian.
Mary fended off questions about whether she was buying blue or pink for her new baby, due in March.
"We don't know the colour yet," she replied.
"We don't want to know," chipped in Frederik.
The couple have spent three days unsuccessfully trying to avoid the media spotlight during their visit to Mary's home town - the first since Christian's birth.
The photo opportunity was organised in the hope that the media would respect their wish for privacy for the remainder of their Australian trip.
The irony of the location was not lost on journalists, one of whom cheekily asked Frederik if he felt he was the one in a zoo.
"What do you think?" the Prince called back.
But the last word went to Mary, as the royals' escape plan became clear.
"You're actually behind the fence," she told journalists, as the family made their escape and the media were left locked in the zoo for 20 minutes behind them.
- AAP
