Very warm welcome for William

Prince William is greeted by a traditional smoking ceremony as he visits a community centre in a deprived Aboriginal neighbourhood in Sydney yesterday.

A crowd of around 800 had gathered for his arrival and he was welcomed by Max Eulo, 66, who, dressed in a red loincloth and covered with body paint, fanned a burning basket of eucalyptus leaves around the prince to cleanse the area.

Aboriginal community leaders appealed to William to help them to bring back the skull of one of their ancestors.

The 27-year-old heard about their campaign to locate the severed head of warrior Pemulwuy at the start of a three-day tour of Australia. Pemulwuy resisted settlement by the British and was killed in 1802. His head was sent to England but its whereabouts are not known.