Harry and Meghan‘s “confusing” trip to Australia next week will “stick in the gullet” of The Firm, a royal author claims. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are travelling Down Under for a private four-day tour in the coming days, marking their first visit to the Commonwealth nation since 2018.
The pair, who stepped down as senior royals in 2020, have previously been accused by critics of staging “faux royal” tours promoting themselves despite no longer fulfilling front-line duties on the monarch’s behalf. Page Six has described their latest trip to Australia as such. The outlet spoke to royal writer Robert Jobson who claimed the Palace won’t be keen on it, but have no say. “I’m sure [Buckingham Palace] would prefer that Harry and Meghan weren’t going, but there’s not a lot they can do about it. They have no control,” Mr Jobson told the outlet.
The Palace watcher and author of The Windsor Legacy added: “There will undoubtedly be a sense of confusion about what Harry and Meghan are there for … this trip may stick in the gullet of the palace.”
Among the Sussexes’ engagements is an appearance by Meghan as the special guest speaker at the “Her Best Life” intimate luxury women’s retreat, taking place at InterContinental Hotel Coogee Beach in Sydney from April 17-19.
The event attracts a sold-out audience of around 300 to a hotel overlooking the stunning strip of sand in the city’s eastern suburbs. People with VIP packages get front-row positions and a group photograph with the Duchess at the InterContinental Hotel gala.
The rest of their trip features engagements focusing on mental health, community resources and veterans issues, including events related to the Invictus Games, the international sporting competition for wounded, injured, or sick military service personnel and veterans, which Harry founded in 2014.
Reporting this week suggests the Sussexes team is rejecting any suggestion that the royal couple are using the visit to enlarge their profile, framing it as an opportunity to shine a light on philanthropic endeavours they have supported.
The Daily Mail reported that it had seen “Operational Planning Notes” for the trip put together by the Sussexes’ PR chief Liam Maguire, which includes a Q&A section pre-empting any criticisms Harry and Meghan’s tour may receive.
Among the anticipatory questions is reportedly: “Critics say this is a publicity tour; how do you respond?”
The reponse provided is said to be: “The programme is rooted in long-standing areas of work for the Duke and Duchess, with a clear focus on amplifying organisations delivering measurable impact,” it adds.
“The visit prioritises listening, learning and supporting communities rather than promotion.” The document also emphasised that the Sussexes have been invited to the country by the groups they’re championing, and that the trip is “privately funded”.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’
