SYDNEY?Bearing an easy charm and a striking resemblance to his much-loved late mother, Prince William has given the monarchy's profile a timely boost in Australia.

The 27-year-old met with poor inner-city Aborigines and drug-addicted youth, fired rounds with returned soldiers and played cricket with children in the ashes of towns devastated by deadly wildfires.

Casually dressed and ready with a smile and joke, William ditched ceremony and protocol to pose for photos, shake hands and even kiss a few onlookers on the cheek in an unofficial three-day visit Down Under.

The second-in line to the British throne told local journalists he was surprised by the enthusiastic welcome, with crowds of thousands mobbing him wherever he went.

It had been "the most warm welcome ever", William told crowds gathered for a waterfront lunch in his honor on Wednesday, where Premier Kristina Keneally praised his likeness to his mother, the late Princess Diana.

"You have exhibited all the inherited qualities that have endeared you to so many Australians: poise, warmth, dignity. And if I may say so, quite remarkable charm," Keneally said.

The Australian public voted against becoming a republic in 1999, and local press said the "young, tall and handsome" prince may have delivered the cause a heavy blow.

"Prince William, in his two-day charm offensive in Sydney, may have done more to set back the republican cause than anything since the 1999 referendum," The Sydney Morning Herald wrote.

Royal-watcher Judy Wade said the visit was "going down a blinder with the UK press and there's been a great response in Australia."

"He's young and glamorous and people like that, people like to see it. I think he's done the royal family a big favor," said Wade, royal correspondent for magazine Woman's Day.

Britain's Daily Mail said he had succeeded "in winning hearts and minds like no royal since Diana", and given the monarchy a significant boost.

Arthur Edwards, seasoned Royal photographer with Britain's Sun newspaper, said the purpose of William's visit was to "try and make the royal family more popular."

"There's a lot of talk that maybe Australia when the Queen dies it'll become a republic," Edwards told Australian state radio.

"Well, don't bet your life on it because you've got this lad coming along."

Republican movement spokesman John Warhurst agreed William had a particular ability to connect with young people, who were mostly undecided about whether Australia should split from the monarchy in the future.

"For all the attention he got I think it's basically good for the republican movement, to have these sorts of issues raised. I think in the long run it doesn't do the republican movement any harm," Warhurst, a political science professor, told Agence France-Presse.

"You might lose a few but you're more likely to gain more than you lose from this sort of public debate."

Warhurst said he believed the reception to William had been "mixed" and his rockstar reception had only generated "superficial" debate.

"Prince William certainly puts a modern face to the monarchy, I'm happy to admit that. But I think in the end I would rather have these opportunities to discuss the issues, to get young people engaged," he said.

A poll for British television network ITV News this week revealed 58 percent of Australians would prefer Prince William to be their next king compared with 30 percent for his father Prince Charles.

On the question of a monarchy, 45 percent voted in favor of the Queen remaining Australia's head of state and 43 percent against.