Baby Prince George less than impressed by toy bilby
It was a successful outing for Prince George who undertook his first official engagement of his Australian visit at Taronga Zoo.
Hundreds of royal fans filed into the zoo at Mosman, eager to catch a glimpse of the royals, who arrived on time, around 2.20pm.
William, Kate and George visited a bilby enclosure where a plaque commemorating the little prince's birth was unveiled.
George was relatively well-behaved, if a bit nervous at first, but then quite friendly. And so was Prince George.
The two came face-to-face at Taronga Zoo's enclosure, where it was officially named the Prince George Bilby Exhibit as part of Australia's gift following the prince's birth on July 22 last year.
The Duchess had changed out the dove-grey Alexander McQueen outfit she wore to church, into a lemon cream broderie anglaise dress by a designer who did not want to be named. The dress had a fitted bodice and flared out to the knee. Photo: Getty
As keeper went to coax the bilby closer to Prince George, his mother stepped in to stop him.
"He's got quite a strong grab actually," she said before telling her husband that he was going for the bilby's ear.
"If he gets it he'll never let go," Prince William replied.
George squealed in delight at the real thing, but appeared less than impressed with a toy bilby presented to him, flinging it on the ground.
Prince George is presented with a toy bilby after the unveiling of a plaque in his honour. Photo: 7News
"He does love it, honestly," quipped a smiling Prince William.
Easter is traditionally a boom time for bilbies, with sales of chocolate bilbies going towards the Save the Bilby Fund.
But funding has dried up since chocolate maker Darrell Lea went into administration almost two years ago.
It was Prince George's second official function.
During the New Zealand leg of the trip, he "hosted" a play group event with other babies his age at Government House.
After the very short engagement, George returned to Admiralty House, while the Duke and Duchess continued through the zoo.
They fed tree kangaroos, walking past giraffes, enjoying a bird show, and taking in the rhino conservation display.
The Duchess of Cambridge slightly upstaged by a curious koala at Sydney's Taronga Zoo. Photo: Getty
The royal couple continued to tour the zoo where they fed tree kangaroos, met giraffes, and enjoyed a spectacular bird show.
Leon Burchill performed a Welcome to Country didgeridoo performance for the Duke and Duchess.
Leon Burchill performs a Welcome to Country didgeridoo performance at Taronga Zoo. Photo: Damien Smith/7News
Earlier, the royal couple attended an Easter church service at St Andrew's cathedral.
They sat in the front row alongside Australia's Catholic Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his wife Margie.
"We've come to honour the prince - the prince of peace as I call him," The Most Reverend Dr Glenn Davies, Archbishop of Sydney, told the service.
He was referring to Jesus, of course.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, sign the First Fleet Bible and Prayer Book following Easter Sunday Service at St Andrews Cathedral. Photo: Getty
But the big crowd outside only had eyes for Prince William and Kate, who wore a stunning dove-grey Alexander McQueen coat and a hat by Jane Taylor to the cathedral.
They signed the First Fleet Bible and Book of Common Prayer, which was used in the first Christian services to be held in Australia in 1788.
The First Fleet Bible has been inscribed by several members of the Royal Family over the last 100 years, including the Queen in 1954.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the Easter Sunday Church Service at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney during the fourteenth day of their official tour to New Zealand and Australia. Photo: Anthony Devlin/PA wire/AAP
Rector Justin Moffatt of St Phillip's Church said William seemed very interested when showed him the prayer for King George III.
"He (Will) was rather touched when I turned to the page of the Solemnization (c) of Matrimony which was covered with ink blots", Moffatt told Seven's royal correspondent Robert Jobson.
The Taronga Zoo visit is the final engagement for the royals in Sydney before they head to Canberra.
