Harry and Meghan arrive in Australia for four-day ‘quasi-royal’ tour
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived in Australia for what observers describe as a four-day, “semi-royal” visit that will combine both charitable endeavors and business activities.
The couple touched down in Melbourne on Tuesday to begin their first trip to Australia since the 2018 royal tour.
Unlike the previous visit, this one is in a private capacity after they stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2020.
Itineraries include Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney and include visits to a children’s hospital, a women’s homeless service and events supporting veterans and their families, according to a media release.
Prince Harry is scheduled to attend meetings related to veterans and mental health, and will deliver the keynote address at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne, a national conversation on psychosocial safety and leadership. Meghan will attend a separate health-focused event in Sydney, where she is expected to lead a multi-day retreat.
Summit tickets range from hundreds to two thousand Australian dollars, while a Sydney holiday, described as a “girls weekend like no other”, costs up to A$3,199 including premium packages.
The duo’s program in Australia will focus on “mental health, community resilience and support for veterans and their families, as well as special meetings and special projects.”
The Sussexes have featured special events “in support of broader business, charitable and community goals.”
“These are separate from the core program of public visits,” according to the statement.
The visit differs from the traditional royal tour in other ways, too. No public march is planned, with reports citing security considerations and costs. The trip is privately funded, but local police are expected to provide security in public places.
Royal investigator Giselle Bastin said the inclusion of paid events marked a change from past visits. “The fact that they are not royals and that they are organizing this visit as a quasi-royal tour will surprise the Windsors,” he said.
He also suggested that public enthusiasm may be more muted than in 2018, when large crowds gathered during the couple’s official tour.
But British royal commentator Afua Hagan said the couple would face criticism regardless of their approach.
“If they didn’t have commercial interests, then the problem would be, oh my God, these people are cheating the royal family and the taxpayers,” he said, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“When it comes to Harry and Meghan, negative press is what sells tabloids and newspapers,” he said.
The trip comes as the couple continues to build independent careers outside the monarchy, including media and publishing deals, while maintaining their involvement in philanthropic initiatives such as veterans support and mental health advocacy.
Their current visit is expected to end in Sydney later this week.
