So many people are mad about their lack of access to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Instead of shrugging over their lack of Sussex-access and actually covering the left-behind Windsors with the same fervent energy, the British media now fully stalks Sussex-supporter social media, Sussex-hater social media and Reddit. Which brings me to this Daily Mail story, which I’m only covering because I think it’s completely hilarious. According to people with zero access to the Sussexes, Harry and Meghan have a SECRET reason for visiting Australia this month. That secret reason? Something something Soho House something. Meghan is a member of Soho House and she’s close friends with Markus Anderson, who was or is a major player in the Soho House international club complex. This is the root of a conspiracy: that Meghan and Harry’s Oz trip is all a cover for Meghan promoting Soho House.

With Meghan Markle’s Australian visit just around the corner, rumours are swirling about the real reason for the trip. Markle is set to be the headline guest at the inaugural Her Best Life Retreat, organised by the events company Besties, founded by former radio queen Jackie ‘O’ Henderson and her manager Gemma O’Neill. However, some are claiming that the ‘ultimate girls weekend’ is secondary to the real reason for her Australia visit – drumming up business for Soho House.

Soho House is an exclusive, members-only social club that was founded in London in 1995. Catering to the creative elite, the upscale club provides swanky spaces for working, dining and socialising. Its popularity has seen 48 Soho Houses pop up around the world with its first Australian location set to open in Sydney in 2026. While there is no official opening date for the five-level venue in Darlinghurst, some internet commenters have raised eyebrows at the timing of Markle’s visit.

One commenter took to Reddit to point out that aside from organising the retreat, O’Neill is also involved in the Soho House Sydney project.

‘O’Neill isn’t just some random podcast host fangirling over Harry’s SoHo rental. She’s on the Soho House Sydney advisory committee, which means this Girls Weekend retreat is Soho House business disguised as women’s empowerment,’ they wrote. ‘Markus arranging it from Madame’s house isn’t friendship. This seems to be his job. He is the Soho House consultant, and he is coordinating promotion for their Sydney opening.’

Another added that while the Sydney venue was unlikely to be ready in time for Markle’s visit, it was a perfect opportunity to promote the swanky venue. ‘It doesn’t look like it will be open when they are there. I think it’s either that a part of it is ready (but that’s not usually how they roll), or they are doing early recruiting and promoting to recover some cost,’ another Redditor wrote.

A third suggested that the Her Best Life Retreat could be used as a ‘recruitment’ tool for Soho House. ‘Do you think they’ll try to recruit members from the women’s retreat?’ they asked, to which another replied: ‘Yes, I think so. I commented above that Twerkle May have negotiated a commission for every new member from the retreat who may sign up.’

It could be a lucrative side-hustle for Markle, with memberships to Soho House Sydney reportedly costing $2,285 per year for under 27s, and $4,750 for people 27 and older.

The rumours didn’t stop there, either, with a Daily Mail reader suggesting similar, while commenting on a recent story about Jackie ‘O’ Henderson. ‘Markle has always worked for Soho House and still does,’ they wrote. ‘She is actually really coming to Australia to attend the opening of a new Soho House facility with Markus Anderson,’ they claimed. ‘Terrible.’

[From The Daily Mail]

*points to the deranger conspiracy board* Don’t you see?? Don’t you understand??? Meghan MIGHT PROMOTE A PRIVATE CLUB! It’s against the law, they swear! It’s terrible! It’s a crime! It all connects back to Soho House, Markus Anderson is pulling the strings, Meghan is getting kickbacks for every private club member she signs up, and this whole trip is being sponsored by Soho House! What’s also funny is, Gemma O’Neill pretty openly said that she was able to get in touch with Meghan through Markus, because he’s their mutual friend. It’s less a torrid conspiracy and more like “well-connected people doing favors for one another.” Is there a commercial aspect to this Oz trip? Possibly. But that’s not a crime. Even if these stories are true, none of this is worthy of these cloak-and-dagger conspiracies.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.