Harry and Meghan get behind camera during royal tour

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were followed by a sea of smartphones nearly everywhere they went on their tour to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

At public walkabouts and at the entrances to more private engagements, crowds would crane their necks – but more often lift a phone in their arms – to catch a glimpse of Harry and Meghan.

But Kensington Palace has also shared behind-the-scenes snaps during the 16-day tour – including a couple where the duke and duchess have been behind the lens rather than in front of it.

Given Meghan closed her social media accounts at the start of the year, these photos are among the first to have been taken by the couple and shared online.

Ahead of the Invictus Games closing ceremony in Sydney, the @KensingtonRoyal twitter account shared a black and white image of the duke on stage.

The caption read: “Getting ready for tonight’s @InvictusSydney closing ceremony, where we will celebrate the #InvictusGames competitors, and their friends and families.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will both speak at the ceremony this evening. #IG2018”

The message was then followed by a camera emoji and “The Duchess of Sussex”, suggesting she was the one who took the shot rather than an aide.

The duke also showed off his eye for photography as the couple visited Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force NH-90 helicopter was used to take the couple from Wellington to the country’s smallest national park, a 45-minute journey over the spectacular hills, craggy valleys, lush forests and clear blue waters.

It appears the duke was taken by the view, with a post on the Kensington Palace Instagram story showing a lake and surrounding scenery with the caption “Traveling to the beautiful Abel Tasman National Park”, again with the camera emoji and “The Duke of Sussex” suggesting the identity of the author.