Kangaroos spooked by close attention on Royal tour

On the first full day of their tour in Australia, the monarch and the duke with three from their entourage used a golf buggy to pursue the marsupials around the building which is the official home of Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

One of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting was armed with a digital camera, but her plans to capture the moment went astray.

As the buggy, followed by a support vehicle of guards, headed towards the kangaroos the animals reared up on to their hind legs, took one look at the approaching crowd and bounded off.

When it was clear the kangaroos were going to keep bounding away, the photographic session was abandoned and the Royal cart headed off to another part of the 54-hectare grounds in Canberra, where the Queen and the duke carried out tree-planting duties.

The Royal couple also travelled to Canberra’s annual flower show, where they were greeted by thousands of cheering people.

It came as Australia's prime minister Julia Gillard insisted she did not break Royal protocol by deciding not to curtsy to the Queen on her arrival on Wednesday.

Ms Gillard, who is a republican, said she received advice from staff that the formality was optional.