Harry and Meghan condemn 35,000-strong petition demanding no taxpayers’ cash is spent on Australia trip as they insist pseudo-royal visit is ‘privately funded’
Representatives of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have hit back after more than 35,000 people signed a petition demanding taxpayers’ money not be spent on their upcoming visit to Australia.
Critics call for Harry and Meghan to cover expenses themselves He said they would organize a royal-like trip next month and urged government officials not to contribute.
Today, an online petition titled ‘No Taxpayer Funding or Official Support for Harry and Meghan’s Private Visit to Australia’, created by advocacy group Beyond Australia, had more than 35,000 signatures.
But a spokesman for the couple has now hit back, insisting the trip will be privately funded and pointing out how many Australians have not signed up.
he said: ‘This is a controversial issue. The trip is privately funded so I’m not sure what this petition hopes to achieve.’
The group leading the campaign against the visit said on the petition site: ‘The activities are private and commercial and should be treated strictly as a private visit.
‘At a time when Australians face significant cost-of-living pressures, including rising grocery bills, fuel prices, mortgage stress caused by interest rate rises and rising energy costs, public resources must be used responsibly and applied fairly, without special treatment for high-profile individuals.’
Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, previously visited Australia in 2018 when they were both senior working members of the Royal Family.
The couple had a police escort everywhere they went and were also staying at the Governor-General’s residence overlooking world-famous Sydney Harbour.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to Australia next month – where they were photographed at Bondi Beach in Sydney during their previous visit to the country in October 2018.
Meghan is attending a women-only event being described as a one-of-a-kind ‘girls weekend’ in Sydney, but the event has been rocked by problems since its launch.
Harry and Meghan’s spokesperson also responded by comparing the numbers signing the new petition to the general Australian population.
He said: ‘Of course, if you want to delve into the travesty of this petition as an agenda for spreading misinformation, then one could equally hypothesize that approximately 26.5 million Australians (99.98 per cent of the population) have not signed and must therefore agree with taxpayers picking up the tab for their visit.
‘Of course that’s an equally stupid claim.’
There was speculation about whether taxpayers would fund Meghan and Harry’s visit, as both the federal and state governments in Australia had previously refused to confirm who would be responsible for their protection.
The latest petition comes after Australia’s “ultimate girls” weekend, where Meghan was announced as the star guest, ran into more trouble in recent days.
Last week it was revealed that the hotel’s pool and spa had not yet been completed and the beach below had been struggling with wastewater ‘poop balls’ for more than two years.
On March 19, a spokesperson for the Duchess confirmed that she would continue to appear at the launch of her ‘Best Life Retreat’ in Sydney, despite the setbacks.
The all-female event, called ‘Meg-stock’, will host approximately 300 guests for a three-day luxury holiday between 17-19 April.
Event tickets are sold out; VIP ticket holders were able to get front row seats and have a group photo taken with Meghan at the premiere at the Intercontinental Hotel.
But the resort overlooking Sydney’s Coogee beach, which describes itself as a ‘new era of beachside elegance’, is rushing to finish its work in time for the event.
It was recently revealed that construction is continuing on the new infinity pool overlooking the Tasman Sea. The spa, bar and ‘entertainment area’ are also planned to be completed next month.
A guest staying at the hotel last week described the pool refurbishment as a ‘work in progress’ and ‘a blemish on the view’, the Daily Mail has revealed.
Those who want to relax on the beach below will also be worried because, since 2024, foul-smelling balls made of a mixture of chemicals, soap scum, cooking oil, hair and human feces have been washed up.
A spokesperson for InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach said: ‘Construction at InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach is in the final stages as part of our planned two-phase opening.’
The Daily Mail had previously approached organizers for comment.
