MELBOURNE, Australia — Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, landed in Melbourne on Tuesday, marking their first trip to Australia since their official royal tour in 2018.
This visit, which spans four days, is a more subdued affair compared to their previous engagements, following their announcement in 2020 to “step back” from their roles as senior royals and pursue financial independence from their base in California.
The Sussexes have stated that their trip is privately funded, having traveled business class on a commercial Qantas Airways flight from Los Angeles. However, there have been public concerns regarding the increased security expenses incurred by police forces during their stay in Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney.
The heightened security measures are the reason the couple will not receive the same level of public engagement as they did during their extensive 16-day tour as newlyweds in 2018, which included Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga.
Their children, Prince Archie, aged 6, and Princess Lilibet, aged 4, are not accompanying them on this trip. Meghan publicly revealed her pregnancy with Archie during their visit to Sydney in 2018.
The Herald Sun, a local newspaper in Melbourne, characterized this visit as a “faux royal tour aimed at bolstering Brand Sussex.”
Criticism has emerged regarding the couple’s participation in ticketed events while in Australia.
The Sussexes have dismissed claims that their visit is merely a publicity stunt. “The agenda is grounded in longstanding commitments for the Duke and Duchess, focusing on elevating organizations that demonstrate measurable impact. The visit is centered on understanding, learning, and supporting communities rather than self-promotion,” stated a representative from their office.
Additionally, they noted there would be “a limited number of private engagements” intended to “support broader commercial, charitable, and business goals.”
Afua Hagan, a commentator on the British royal family, remarked that the media often depicts the Sussexes negatively. “This is a privately funded trip. To finance it, they must engage in some commercial activity,” Hagan shared with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“If they did not pursue commercial interests, the narrative would shift to them being accused of exploiting the Royal Family and taxpayers. They seem to be in a no-win situation,” she added.
Giselle Bastin, an expert on the British royals from Flinders University, pointed out that the Sussexes’ choice to leverage their titles for personal gain might be viewed by many as a conflict of interest. “It is well-known that the Sussexes are in urgent need of income, and this quasi-royal tour to Australia is seen as a rather desperate attempt to capitalize on their royal status,” she noted.
The couple’s first public appearance was at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, a facility opened by Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1963, with visits from his parents, Princess Diana and the then-Prince Charles, occurring in 1985.
As they entered the hospital foyer, the Sussexes interacted with numerous supporters and were captured on video by countless onlookers.
When a reporter inquired about what he anticipated most from the visit, Harry responded, “Everything.” He added, “It’s great to be back.”
While in Melbourne, Meghan is set to visit a women’s shelter, and Harry will head to a veterans’ art museum. Additionally, Harry plans to visit the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The couple will also participate in an Invictus Australia sailing event on Sydney Harbor.
In 2018, the couple hosted the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in Sydney, an event founded by Harry in 2014 for ill and injured military personnel and veterans to compete.
