{"id":2324298,"date":"2026-03-12T05:33:55","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T05:33:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2324298"},"modified":"2026-03-12T05:33:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T05:33:55","slug":"shes-basically-fergie-now-what-royal-insiders-are-saying-about-1705-vip-meet-meghan-event-surprising-way-the-duchess-contacted-organisers-and-how-much-harry-is-reportedly-set-to-pocket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/shes-basically-fergie-now-what-royal-insiders-are-saying-about-1705-vip-meet-meghan-event-surprising-way-the-duchess-contacted-organisers-and-how-much-harry-is-reportedly-set-to-pocket\/","title":{"rendered":"‘She’s basically Fergie now’: What Royal insiders are saying about \u00a31,705 VIP ‘Meet Meghan’ event, surprising way the Duchess contacted organisers… and how much Harry is reportedly set to pocket, by REBECCA ENGLISH"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It’s being billed as another quasi-royal visit, taking in \u2018private, business and philanthropic\u2019 engagements.<\/p>\n

But so far the specifics of Harry and Meghan\u2019s trip to Australia next month demonstrate in graphic detail their riches-to-rags tale.<\/p>\n

Little more than five years after announcing mega-bucks deals with Netflix<\/a> and Spotify<\/a> in the wake of their acrimonious departure from the Royal Family<\/a>, it seems the couple are reduced to undertaking paid meet-and-greet photo opportunities.<\/p>\n

Indeed, a \u2018Meet Meghan\u2019 event to be held in Sydney<\/a> is currently hawking \u2018VIP experience\u2019 tickets for \u00a31,705 as part of a weekend of activities which even boasts a \u2018group table photo with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex<\/a>\u2019. The price includes twin-bed hotel accommodation for two nights.<\/p>\n

The revelation led one well-placed royal insider to liken her to the former Duchess of York<\/a>. \u2018She\u2019s basically Fergie,\u2019 they said.<\/p>\n

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are due to visit Australia in mid-April, the first time they have been to the country since their official post-wedding tour in 2018 when they were greeted by hugely enthusiastic crowds<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The landscape has changed dramatically since then, with the couple seeing scathingly low public opinion ratings after repeated attacks on the Royal Family, including their tell-all Netflix documentary and Harry\u2019s memoir, Spare<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While scant detail has been released by the couple\u2019s team about their programme so far, myriad marketing materials are already beginning to leak out.<\/p>\n

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<\/div><\/div>\n

Meghan is now being compared to Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"A <\/div><\/div>\n

A post on social media from the retreat announcing that Meghan will be involved<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"The <\/div><\/div>\n

The exclusive event costs thousands of pounds for the weekend<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Following on from his talk to a group of estate agents in Canada in December, Harry is due to speak at a \u2018workplace mental health summit\u2019 in Melbourne.<\/p>\n

Crisis support service Lifeline Narrm have announced he will be a speaker at their InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit, which takes place on April 15 and 16.<\/p>\n

Tickets to the event, which also boasts headline acts including tennis star Jelena Dokic, start at \u00a31,053, rising to more than \u00a39,000 for a \u2018platinum\u2019 table for eight.<\/p>\n

The theme is to bring together international \u2018change makers\u2019 for discussions on how to build \u2018psychologically safe, mentally healthy and high-performing workplaces\u2019 as well as creating \u2018lasting improvements in workplace culture and well-being\u2019.<\/p>\n

InterEdge Summit chief executive Carrie Leeson said this week they were \u2018honoured\u2019 to welcome Harry. In a media release, Lifeline Narrm said the prince had \u2018dedicated his life to service and uplifting communities, while emphasising the importance of our collective mental health in his philanthropic and advocacy work globally\u2019.<\/p>\n

But all eyes are likely to be on Sydney where Meghan will appear at a Coogee Beach event billed as \u2018a girls\u2019 weekend like no other<\/a>!\u2019<\/p>\n

She will be the headline speaker on April 17 at the \u00a31,705 Her Best Life Retreat, marketed as \u2018an unforgettable weekend for women ready to reconnect, recharge and have some serious fun\u2019. \u2018The highlight will be an in-person conversation with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,\u2019 boasts the literature.<\/p>\n

The event \u2013 branded Meg-stock by some \u2013 at the Intercontinental Hotel sees Meghan billed as \u2018a mother, wife, entrepreneur and humanitarian. Recognised by TIME and Vogue as one of the world\u2019s most influential women, Meghan remains a dedicated champion of mental health and the rights of women and girls\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"An <\/div><\/div>\n

An advertisement for the event, which is to be held in Sydney, Australia\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Meghan <\/div><\/div>\n

Meghan and Harry wear flower garlands at Bondi Beach in Australia in 2018<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"The <\/div><\/div>\n

The high-end event will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Now, <\/div><\/div>\n

Now, up to 300 guests will get to hear an \u2018in-person conversation with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex\u2019 in Sydney, alongside yoga classes and other activities<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Marketing material also refers to her \u2018record-breaking\u2019 podcast Archetypes and \u2018globally celebrated\u2019 Netflix series With Love, Meghan, and her lifestyle brand As Ever. Both Archetypes and With Love, Meghan have been dropped by Spotify and Netflix.<\/p>\n

Now, up to 300 guests will get to hear an \u2018in-person conversation with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex\u2019 in Sydney, alongside yoga classes, a \u2018sound healing\u2019 experience, a meditation and manifestation session and a dinner and disco.<\/p>\n

Meghan is understood to have reached out to the organiser, Her Best Life podcast host Gemma O\u2019Neill, after being put in touch by a mutual friend<\/a>. The presenter revealed she had initial reservations and almost turned down Meghan\u2019s offer, but concluded her podcast audience \u2018deserved it\u2019.<\/p>\n

She said:\u00a0\u2018For a good period of time there, I didn\u2019t take them up on the offer, because I felt like I don\u2019t deserve this – I\u2019m just Gemma, I\u2019m just a mum.<\/p>\n

\u2018So I almost did turn it down, and it took me a lot of reflection, and at the end of the day I feel like this community deserves it.<\/p>\n

\u2018She’s doing it because she really loves what our community is about, which is women trying to grow, try to be their best selves and trying to help other women.<\/p>\n

‘It’s a very small event for 300 women… it’s going to be a fireside chat with Meghan and I.\u2019<\/p>\n

Ms O’Neill added: \u2018I have admired [Meghan] and what she has endured… and how she has demonstrated how a woman can be pushed down and she can still rise.’\u00a0<\/p>\n

VIP ticket holders will get a table in the \u2018front two rows\u2019 for the gala dinner, a \u2018group table photo\u2019 with Meghan as well as a goodie bag.<\/p>\n

While the speaking gigs are likely to be relatively well-paid \u2013 it has been suggested Harry will pocket \u00a330,000 for his event in Melbourne \u2013 sources say it is likely to be a far cry from what he imagined he\u2019d spend the rest of his life doing after quitting royal duties and burning bridges with his family.<\/p>\n

One remarked: \u2018They [the firms concerned] are hardly FTSE100. I\u2019m sure they [Harry and Meghan] didn\u2019t think they\u2019d face diminishing returns so soon.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.celebrity.land.co.uk \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s being billed as another quasi-royal visit, taking in \u2018private, business and philanthropic\u2019 engagements. But so far the specifics of Harry and Meghan\u2019s trip to Australia next month demonstrate in graphic detail their riches-to-rags tale. Little more than five years after announcing mega-bucks deals with Netflix and Spotify in the wake of their acrimonious departure […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2324299,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[21823,25884,24845,23191,27155,22821,22602],"class_list":["post-2324298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-royalty","tag-australia","tag-dailymail","tag-melbourne","tag-netflix","tag-royals","tag-spotify","tag-sydney"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Shes-basically-Fergie-now-What-Royal-insiders-are-saying-about.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2324298"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324298\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2324300,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324298\/revisions\/2324300"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2324299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2324298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2324298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2324298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}