Prince Harry and Meghan have kicked off the Melbourne leg of their Australian visit as questions are raised over their paid appearances and potential commercial ventures.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reunited in the Victorian capital after briefly splitting for separate engagements, with Prince Harry set to headline a ticketed mental health event later today.
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Royal commentator Angela Mollard said the couple appeared to have structured their tour to begin with more traditional, community-focused appearances before shifting towards ticketed events.
Tickets to hear Harry speak are selling for about $500, while Meghan is charging $3,000 for an appearance at a Sydney hotel retreat, where she is scheduled to leave early to attend a rugby match.
“There’s a very small time, then of course you leave people to spend a weekend where she’s already gone,” Mollard said.
While Meghan has been praised for showcasing Australian designers, it has also been revealed she could financially benefit from the exposure through an AI-powered fashion platform on which she is an investor and contributor.
The platform, OneOff, has listed outfits worn by the Duchess during the trip, with purchases potentially earning her a commission of between 10 and 25 per cent.
“She’s saying she’s doing this to highlight fashion designers, little-known brands, that sort of thing. But of course, there’s always the criticism that she is doing exactly what the Queen didn’t want to happen, which is commercialising the royal brand,” Mollard said.
Mollard also addressed Meghan appearing on MasterChef in Australia.
“It’s a really odd choice from my perspective. Where does it fit in her wheelhouse?” Mollard said.
The appearance is understood to be linked to promoting her own product line, including her jam brand.
Despite the backlash online, the couple have been warmly received on the ground.
They began their final day in Melbourne with an Indigenous walk along the Yarra River, meeting with members of the local community near Federation Square in what organisers described as a “listening and learning” experience.
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