{"id":2372726,"date":"2026-04-14T12:15:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T12:15:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2372726"},"modified":"2026-04-14T12:15:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T12:15:23","slug":"harry-and-meghans-non-royal-tour-of-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/harry-and-meghans-non-royal-tour-of-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"Harry and Meghan\u2019s non-royal tour of Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-c15d7f75-c52d-405b-b27b-c719517b9bfa\">When Prince Harry and wife Meghan visited Australia in 2018 as working royals they were \u201cwelcomed by rapturous crowds\u201d, said <a target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news\/2026\/apr\/14\/prince-harry-and-meghans-faux-royal-australian-tour\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news\/2026\/apr\/14\/prince-harry-and-meghans-faux-royal-australian-tour\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">The Guardian<\/a>. There was \u201clittle sign\u201d of that \u201cecstatic reception\u201d today when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped down as working members of the royal family in 2020, arrived in Melbourne, said <a target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/uk\/prince-harry-meghan-arrive-australia-2026-04-13\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/uk\/prince-harry-meghan-arrive-australia-2026-04-13\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">Reuters<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The couple have embarked on a tour that includes \u201cengagements covering sport, mental health and veterans\u2019 affairs\u201d, but in their capacity as private citizens \u2013 an arrangement that has raised some eyebrows among their hosts.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-98a6a283-2103-4de3-81c0-8e5273870940\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"commercial-activities-3\">Commercial activities \u00a0<\/h2>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-seasonal\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-7563e61c-3519-40b7-ad34-e4aa9c420c4a-0\">During their four-day visit Harry will make a solo stop-off in the capital, Canberra, to meet military veterans. He and Meghan will then attend a \u2060mental health summit in Melbourne before rounding off the joint leg of their trip with sailing and rugby events in Sydney. It \u201cstill looks very much like a royal visit\u201d even though \u201cofficially, it very much is not\u201d, said <a target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-04-14\/prince-harry-and-meghan-visit-australia\/106559094\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-04-14\/prince-harry-and-meghan-visit-australia\/106559094\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">ABC News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But unlike on their previous visit, they\u2019ll also \u201cundertake commercial activities\u201d, said Reuters. Meghan will host a <a target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/theweek.com\/culture-life\/travel\/wellness-retreats-to-reset-your-gut-health\" data-url=\"https:\/\/theweek.com\/culture-life\/travel\/wellness-retreats-to-reset-your-gut-health\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/theweek.com\/culture-life\/travel\/wellness-retreats-to-reset-your-gut-health\">wellness<\/a> retreat at a luxury beachside hotel in Sydney, which will include yoga, manifestation and sound healing. Tickets cost A$2,699 (\u00a31,417) including accommodation, or A$3,199 (\u00a31,680) for a more VIP experience, including a group table photo with Meghan.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"inline-block w-2.5 h-2.5 ml-2\" fill=\"currentColor\" preserveaspectratio=\"xMidYMid meet\" viewbox=\"0 0 1000 1000\"><path d=\"M1000 100L500 900 0 100h1000z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-[#333]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-[#333]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-normal&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<div id=\"blueconic-article-theweek\">\n<div class=\"blueconic-article__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"blueconic-article__wrapper__top\">\n<div class=\"blueconic-article__wrapper__top__left-div\">\n<h2><span class=\"blueconic-article__wrapper__top__left-div-title\">The Week<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/subscribe.theweek.com\/servlet\/OrdersGateway?cds_mag_code=TWE&amp;cds_page_id=275740&amp;cds_response_key=I4BRBKSW1&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=theweek.com&amp;utm_campaign=wku-all-digital_referral-202401-sub-none-fbk24&amp;utm_content=us-in-article\" target=\"__blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\nSUBSCRIBE &amp; SAVE\n<\/p>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"blueconic-article__wrapper__bottom\">\n<div class=\"blueconic-article__wrapper__bottom__left-div\">\n<h2>Sign up for The Week&#8217;s Free Newsletters<\/h2>\n<p class=\"blueconic-article__wrapper__bottom__left-div-text-desktop\">From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n<p class=\"blueconic-article__wrapper__bottom__left-div-text-mobile\">From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Meanwhile, <a target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/theweek.com\/royals\/prince-charming-harrys-tea-with-king-sparks-royal-reconciliation-rumours\" data-url=\"https:\/\/theweek.com\/royals\/prince-charming-harrys-tea-with-king-sparks-royal-reconciliation-rumours\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/theweek.com\/royals\/prince-charming-harrys-tea-with-king-sparks-royal-reconciliation-rumours\">Harry<\/a> will be a star speaker at InterEdge\u2019s \u201cpsychosocial safety\u201d summit, a two-day professional development event with ticket prices as high as A$2,378 (\u00a31,249) for the platinum option. For both of them, their sojourn in Australia is not only \u201cprivate\u201d but also \u201cpromotional\u201d, said The Guardian.<\/p>\n<p>Royal expert Giselle Bastin told the ABC that the commercial aspect of the tour was \u201cunusual\u201d and said the royal family would not be impressed that the Sussexes were \u201cmonetising their visit to Australia\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-3c207c63-2fe3-45e6-a392-d76831126bb4\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"quasi-royal-disaster-3\">Quasi-royal disaster<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-92c9fcda-6109-41db-8078-8eb2cf43e70c\">The \u201cquasi-royal tour\u201d was \u201calready a disaster\u201d before they set off, said <a target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/us\/news-today\/article\/meghan-harry-australia-royal-news-73tb020wc\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/us\/news-today\/article\/meghan-harry-australia-royal-news-73tb020wc\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">The Times<\/a> last month. \u201cEarly signs\u201d showed that Australians \u201caren\u2019t all that excited about their visit\u201d; a recent Ipsos Australia poll found that only 40% of Australians view Harry favourably, while 46% view him unfavourably. Meghan \u201cfares even worse\u201d, with 55% holding a negative view of the US-born duchess.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201chonour\u201d of this visit \u201ccomes with a hefty price tag\u201d, said Bevan Shields in <a target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/national\/australia-was-good-to-harry-and-meghan-now-they-want-to-use-us-as-an-atm-20260407-p5zlrm.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/national\/australia-was-good-to-harry-and-meghan-now-they-want-to-use-us-as-an-atm-20260407-p5zlrm.html\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">The Sydney Morning Herald<\/a>. Although their travel expenses for the visit are being privately funded, \u2060local media reported that some of the policing costs would be paid by Australian taxpayers. Harry and Meghan are \u201claser-focused on building a healthy bank balance\u201d now that their lucrative deal with Spotify has \u201cimploded\u201d and most of their Netflix projects have \u201cfallen flat\u201d. \u201cDoes anyone seriously believe they are coming to our shores for reasons other than financial and reputational?\u201d. Our warm welcome back in 2018 clearly made Australians \u201clook like a soft target\u201d, so now they are back to \u201cuse us as an ATM\u201d.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-2BKNsahEWUZVyLbLirvXYR\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-2BKNsahEWUZVyLbLirvXYR slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day \u2013 and the best features from TheWeek.com<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>I \u201ccan\u2019t begrudge them trying to make a living\u201d, said <a target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hellomagazine.com\/royalty\/889620\/harry-and-meghans-australian-litmus\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.hellomagazine.com\/royalty\/889620\/harry-and-meghans-australian-litmus\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">Hello!<\/a> magazine\u2019s royal editor, Emily Nash. The reception of the Australia tour will be a \u201creal litmus test for what else they may do this year\u201d, with an Africa visit potentially on the cards, but it is also \u201csomething for the wider royal family to watch\u201d. \u201cThe sorry saga\u201d of the former prince Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson is a \u201creminder of how blurred the lines can become when titles and influence are mixed with personal gain\u201d. If the Sussexes are able to \u201ceffectively operate alongside the working royals, but outside the carefully managed framework that governs royal duties\u201d, that would represent a \u201cheadache\u201d for the King.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source theweek.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Prince Harry and wife Meghan visited Australia in 2018 as working royals they were \u201cwelcomed by rapturous crowds\u201d, said The Guardian. There was \u201clittle sign\u201d of that \u201cecstatic reception\u201d today when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped down as working members of the royal family in 2020, arrived in Melbourne, said Reuters. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2372727,"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":[],"class_list":["post-2372726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-royalty"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Harry-and-Meghans-non-royal-tour-of-Australia.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2372726","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=2372726"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2372726\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2372728,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2372726\/revisions\/2372728"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2372727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2372726"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2372726"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2372726"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}