Last night, on the American East Coast, we were able to see the footage from Australian media of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s arrival in Melbourne. It’s not just that the Australian media is treating Prince Harry and Meghan’s private visit as if it’s a royal tour, it’s that the Australian media is absolutely consumed with their visit and they’re treating Harry and Meghan like the most important and popular royal figures. King and Queen of Oz!! Australian television even had reporters embedded in the Melbourne airport, interviewing the other passengers on H&M’s commercial flight, all of whom were happy to talk about their brush with royalty. I can hear the plates smashing at Anmer Hall from here.
I’m splitting up the photos because Meghan has already changed her outfit a few times and there’s so much to cover! These photos are from their first event, a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. There were hundreds of people, including tons of children, gathered inside the hospital’s lobby, waiting to greet the Sussexes. All of the kids were thrilled to see H&M especially, and H&M tried to make sure each kid got a special moment.
Meghan’s dark navy dress here is from an Australian designer, Karen Gee. Apparently, Meghan wore Gee in 2018, during the Sussexes’ South Pacific Tour too (for eagle-eyed fashionistas, Meghan’s 2018 Gee look was the white, sleeveless sheath dress). Gee also got quoted today in the Aussie media, saying: “She is very loyal to me, which is beautiful. When a woman like Meghan chooses to wear Karen Gee again, years after first discovering the brand, it speaks to something far deeper than a moment.”
I’m including some of the airport segments below, it’s truly insane. But what’s also nice is that the Australian media is being like 80-90% positive about Harry and Meghan’s visit, almost like the Oz media is pushing back on the weeks-long wave of negativity from the British press.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit and meet patients and their family members during a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, on day one of the royal trip to Australia Featuring: Meghan Markle Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit and meet patients and their family members during a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, on day one of the royal trip to Australia Featuring: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit and meet patients and their family members during a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, on day one of the royal trip to Australia Featuring: Meghan Markle Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit and meet patients and their family members during a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, on day one of the royal trip to Australia Featuring: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit and meet patients and their family members during a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, on day one of the royal trip to Australia Featuring: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet (left to right) Chief of Staff to the CEO & Executive Director Communications, Dr Peter Steer, Chief Executive Officer, and Professor Christine Kilpatrick during a visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, on day one of the royal trip to Australia. Featuring: Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 14 Apr 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
This coverage makes me happy and light. I have a smirk thinking about the plates being smashed and cushions being thrown on lamps back at the palace.
Same. I love this so much for W&K
And that’s how you wear buttons as a modern, professional, fashionable woman.
Put that on your Pinterest board, Keen.
I’m sure it’s already firmly screwed to a moodboard.
Right? I saw it and went buttons! She looks really good in it. I love that she wore the wore the same Australian designer twice.
And that the designer was so thrilled!
Sorry, no. It’s buttons, and if Kate wore this dress she would me mocked for weeks.
buttons are completely fine in moderation! its only joke for Kate because she’s obsessed.
She wouldn’t be if she actually did some work while wearing that dress. Kate’s clothes would fade into the background if she had any substance at all about her.
Kate would be mocked coz she wouldn’t wear it like that. She’d alter the dress to add more buttons, fussy bows and shoulder pads.
Yeah you are right. I rolled my eyes at the buttons comment because let Kate dare have buttons. And I am a Sussex fan but the copy cat comments are lame.😄
Only because she disappears for weeks, and because she’s a clothes hanger so all there is to discuss is her fashion. Which is generally not very good.
What has she done lately?
Sorry, but no. Kate doesn’t know how to minimalize in a fashion forward way.imo
@TIKICHICA- 🤫 I’ll tell you a little secret: we wouldn’t go so hard on Keen’s buttons if she even pretended to be a nice person and used her long sought after position to actually help the people she will potentially “rule” one day. But I’m sure you already know this.
They both look radiant, beautiful and well-cared for. Interacting with others in kind, natural ways is a hallmark of theirs. Their ease, normalcy, happiness and genuine concern for others shines through. This is true royalty and that’s one part of the “quasi-royal tour” jargon. They are not pretending to be consequential, benevolent people– they truly are that. It’s like when President Obama walks into a room. He is not pretending to be the president– he is presidential because he always suited the role and the role always suited him. Same for the Sussexes– it’s not who you pretend to be, but who you are.
They do look amazing. Will must be losing his mind to see how good Harry looks and how happy Meghan and Harry are together. To think that the loser royals could have had these two on their team.
Agreed 💯 with both comments. It’s a big old world and service is universal if you want to show up and do good please do so.A volunteer works harder than forced labour! Meg and Harry are exchanging good, positive energy with themselves and others. Curiosity and outreach and genuine interest and networking creates positive experiences for everyone.
You nailed it Jferber.
@JFerber this is a perfect comment!
I have to also add my vote for JFerber’s insightful comment. “It’s not who you pretend to be but who you are.” Yes! A million times yes! They are kind, caring, and generous with their attention and their time. W&K can’t copy this because they lack a giving and sincere heart.
The videos of their Aussie visit is ALL OVA YOUTUBE…and it’s generally been positive ✨️
It’s wonderful to see that an equally active infrastructure of positive H&M fact finders aka “Sussex Squad” aka “Squaddies” is out there constantly fighting the deranger BS!😉
HALLELUJAH!!!! This is the moment we were waiting for, and the Royals here on Salt Isle were dreading. And it is all it promised to be. Wheeeeee!!!!
OMG I just want to laugh and laugh. With their arrival and one visit, Harry and Meghan have already smashed Scooter and his rota minions’ obsessed narrative to smithereens 🤣🤣🤣 – positive local press (you mean the Aussies don’t hate them?!), check. Crowds of supportive fans, check. Harry and Meghan living their lives and #serviceisuniversal motto, check. Also (lol) getting bigger crowds than Chuckles and his mistress bride and Scooter and Keen on their home turf, check.
I hope the crowds continue to grow and the press continues to be fair and positive.
@SUSSEXWATCHER 🎯 YES, YES, YES!!! 💯 %
And no matter what they claim, I believe that both W&K read EVERYTHING printed about both themselves and H&M, so I bet they’re seeing it all 🥰
It’s great to see that it’s going really well. Loads of people turned up to greet them at the Children’s Hospital, which is so in their “wheelhouse” as the reporter said.
As usual, people who meet them find them to be lovely.
I think it’ll be a great little trip, they’ve got an absolutely packed agenda, and it’ll be a huge success, as were their Nigeria and Colombia visits. They are professional philanthropists, advocates and businesspeople at this point – granted very good looking and photogenic ones! – and it’s only the royal-obsessed media and haters that are throwing a massive hysterical freak out over this Australia trip and everything else they do.
Hello magazine had a video taken at the hospital while Harry and Meghan were in the open air lobby talking to children. The camera panned up to show people in the hospital lining the railings on every floor up to at least the 5th floor. Off to a great start.
Yes, it looked really sweet. The time change is perfect bc they’re about to probably go out and do stuff in Australia again which gives kaiser and CB time to cover in the morning.
Scooter is throwing a tantrum at forest lodge
Normally we would see a flurry of busywork from the Wales but I guess they’re STILL on their month long spring vacation. But yeah, William cannot be happy. Somewhere he is self-soothing himself by saying I’ll take this title and then I’ll take this title.
@Jais your last sentence is exactly what I think is happening 😂
Right? I really do wonder when their vacay is over bc I would not be surprised if they do an unannounced “surprise” visit this week. Like that’s really gonna happen right? I will be in shock if it doesn’t.
They may have one of those dreadful videos with Keen’s fake posh accent. And on hand to release when they are off on the yacht
Meghan’s outfits are always modern looking and appropriate. As opposed to the 1940’s … cough, cough!!
It’s funny, it’s like the middling tabloid layer of England imagines this is their brand / intellectual property or something. Only WE do royalty, thank you!!! So, by that definition, the *way* they do royalty becomes the default setting. It’s a weirdly self-absorbed fixation. Like a collective fetish. First, lots of countries have monarchies. They all work slightly differently. And second — within the BRF, there are different styles and methods. LONG LIVE THIS MODEL. ;-D ….it’s so much better, the counterfactual.
as someone who watches other royal families this attitude drives me nuts. More often then not the Brits are actually the odd ones out
Meghan and Harry look really good. I must say I was surprised by how much the Australian press is going all out for this trip. We were told Harry and Meghan were irrelevant.
I have to wonder how many Australians would have even known they were coming if not for the BM bashing and gnashing about it the whole time. It’s not like the Sussexes advertised it and the only one that did was the retreat that needed to sell tickets and be transparent about who is there.
Don’t worry @ecsmom. Aussies don’t need the British media to tell them what’s happening in their own backyard. The word would have gotten out as Aussies like to celebrate people who do good.
I must say Harry in that tailored suit is chefs kiss. Meghan glowed him all the way up. Are they in dark navy or black. I can’t tell.
love Meghan in navy, and that dress looks beautiful on her, and the welcome that was waiting for their arrival at the hospital was just beautiful especially with all the hate this couple gets in the media. im sure all the leftovers are having flashbacks to a time when the public showed up for them, before that hate campaign that showed the rot that they tried to hide.
What’s up with that throwaway remark, they haven’t even sold out some of their thousand dollar tickets to those private events? I strongly doubt that’s true, and where is this information really coming from?
Meghan looks wonderful and their interaction with the children is so warm and lovely.
No idea. They tried to claim last week they were all sold out and derangers were going to sneak in to now it’s not sold out.
Even if 10 people bought tickets, that’s still 30 grand. The event will do just fine. They are angry people are spending big bucks on Meghan, particularly. Even people that hate her apparently are willing to shell out the dough. Imagine being that ‘irrelevant’.
Yeah, and the ‘…or do people just not care?’ remark. Doing her damndest to carry water for the BRF.
The reporter was from Murdoch’s main online Aus platform news.com.au. TBH I was surprised at her largely positive take. I think a producer must have whispered in her earpiece to throw in at least some kind of snark, otherwise no-one wld have recognised her as a Murdoch hack.
Can I say how excited I am 😍. They’re such a gorgeous couple ❤️
HOT couple alert!!!
Meghan looks so beautiful in that dress – I absolutely love it.
I believe that one of the ladies at the kitchen event told her that she looked like a model and she had no wrinkles.
Telling a woman she doesn’t have wrinkles isn’t a compliment. Hopefully, you misheard or misread.
It’s funny you say that because my first thought was that they were talking about wrinkles in her clothes!
@icorrine, how is telling a woman she doesn’t have wrinkles not a compliment? Is it because the subject touches on her age? If so, that seems kind of an old-fashioned notion. We all know how old Meghan is. We all know how old Kate is. And, we know who’s all shriveled up and who is not. I have people tell me that and I view it as a compliment because I am chill about people knowing my age (then they want to know what products I’m using!).
@Bum, same! 😂 I think because there was a discussion on here (I think) recently about how Meghan wears linen and they pile on her for having wrinkles when, really, it’s a status symbol among the aristocrats or something to have wrinkles because it means you’re wearing natural fibers. So my mind went to her clothes, not her face!
They both look very nice, and relaxed which is always good to see. It’ll never stop being weird to me though the way that they are covered, especially by people that say that no one’s interested in them. How can you simultaneously in a broadcast ask if the interest is still there, and then transition to your reporter that you had waiting for them in the terminal at the airport? And then to question the people that were sitting with them to find out which seats they were in, and how they were on the plane?
Looks like the trip is off to a good success though, and I anticipate they’ll probably announce donations at the tail end of the trip.
If Willy and kitty were in incandescent with rage and jealousy the first time Harry and Meghan went to Australia as a married couple, then this time they must be nuclear rageful with hatred. 😂😂😂😂😂😂. Harry and Meghan look so good and I am so happy that it’s going so well so far . After the month long hate campaign, this is amazing to see
This takes me back to 2018 and I love it.And the majority positive press. Someone mist have told the Aussie press Australia is bidding for IG in 2031 don’t mess this up.
They dressed up for these kids, right? I feel like these looks are more evening wear. But the kids see people in scrubs all day, so it’s a little glamour injection for them.
These are day dresses, nothing evening about them at all.
I don’t have a great eye for fashion, but her dress combined with his suit jacket to me read as “dinner date.” We’ve seen them many times do visits like this in more casual outfits (slacks on her, no jacket for him) but they are on a tour, so it makes sense to level up.
This is to @Dee, I think I can supply some rationale for why such an apparently dissociative mentality exists. It’s as if everyone skipped to the end of the story, and said, HAH!!! I KNEW IT!!! THEY’RE VILLAINS!!! But before they’d, you know, read the book. Or after they’d read a bootlegged copy that included all kind of junk rumours and hogwash, like that inane crying over tights story. Egads. It’s like an entire population was brainwashed. And they bought into it, hook, line, and sinker. So now as the yarn unravels, and the truth comes out, it’s like they need to cop to having been such dupes, and they just can’t do it. So now their self-image is on the line. Granted it’s an extreme example, but Germans who were subjected to Nazi brainwashing probably went through the same stages of withdrawal. There was a comedy sketch on the BBC in the ‘70s that showed two SS officers surveying the destroyed city they were standing in, going, “Wait a minute! Are *we* the baddies??? We can’t be!!!” It’s on that level. Harry is right to insist on security. There are *so* many reasons people were primed and pointed toward the hype and the BS and the self-serving narrative that the tabloids spewed. And they can’t face *any* of them. So they call it woke, or feminist, or American, or whatever word saves them looking in a mirror. It’s lame. Pathetic, really.
I’m sorry, please don’t kill me, but the dress gets a no from me. The lack of sleeves, faux double-breasted detail, and tying the sash in front combine to make her look rather bulky. The length is also awkward and makes her look kinda squat (as a fellow petite girl, I definitely understand the struggle). Just raising that hem a few inches would make it more flattering.
On the other hand, who cares what she’s wearing when she’s got that gorgeous face? Meghan truly does “natural/clean girl” beauty like no one else. She just has this glow about her, and it’s all the more intense when she’s with Harry. They both always look so happy and proud that they managed to land each other and it’s so sweet.
I agree on the dress, she had much better looks. And I also agree that she is stunning, no matter what she wears. She is happy and glowing and a pleasure ti look at.
As a fellow petite, I appreciate that she leans into the travails of wearing clothing designed for Amazons, even though she has the money to have custom-made garments or maximum alterations. I think the dress looks great on her (who’s the queen of buttons NOW?!!) and her face and smile are even more luminous than usual.
This has been so funny. The airport coverage and the crowds at the hospital. So far they don’t seem hated or irrelevant, lol.
it’s absolutely hilarious. The Sussexes are so irrelevant, no one cares about them, see this random person didnt even know they were coming – but we’re going to provide coverage of every minute of this visit and we’re going to harass anyone who may have come into contact with them.
I’m living for it. And all the little clips of the bbc or sky reporters being somewhat giddy but also trying to somehow minimize it. Well, it’s commercial. Well, it looks like a royal tour. Well, Charles is the king of Australia.
Went to Karen Gee website and gotta say Meghan is showcasing the dress ever so fine. Meghan has beautiful arms and they both look good— energetic and happy. I don’t know how they managed jet lag but it goes to show their professionalism that they can project ease and energy as they interact with their hosts and appreciative public. It shows their respect and care for Australia and Australians. These two did their homework.
OMG, they are really capitalizing on the “Duchess wore our dress!” As they should if she agreed to the partnership. Above I said it felt like a dinner date dress, but looking at it on the site, it reads more as an office workplace dress. I like their whole line. As a mostly remote worker, I don’t invest a lot in office wear any more, but this is totally an office look I would have worn in my 30s (from a much lower end brand) when I was more concerned about presenting a certain image.
Meghan wore Karen Gee last time she was Australia. Karen started her fashion design in her 40s after having children. Meghan does her homework on women in business, and women who support other women.
As well they should capitalize! Love that the first photo you see on the website is Harry and Meghan, smiling and happy, with Meghan in the Priscilla dress and a caption: “As worn by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.”
And all of the photos of H&M in Australia so far are reminding me that when they were first married, folks were calling them “The Duke and Duchess of HotSex.”
The way Meghan squats down in high heels to visit with the children tells you that woman does NOT miss leg day!
Friggin’ seriously! I got a cramp in my calves just looking at that photo.
Wowee! These two look so amazingly refreshed and hydrated after a 15hr flight! And there’s that still shot that is so reminiscent of the iconic Polo photo.
TAKE THAT Btitshit media!
Love, love, love me some Harry and Meghan! Especially out and about Ike this, being the loved up couple that they are.
Wellness check on Wank please!
“They were super friendly around the toilet area, then they went to the toilet.”
Who in their right mind decided to include that commentary?
I LOL’d … the male anchor was pretty snarky, but the female anchor and reporter were very positive. And aside from the weird bathroom comment, the passengers on their plane were very positive, too.
Take that, rota.
I’m kind of in love with these reporters doing their best to be snarky. At this point, all I can do is laugh.
He has a YT channel and is well known for his conservative views, hiding behind the “good bloke” facade. Luckily his savvy co-host wasn’t co-signing. Funny how these good blokes push conservative values, yet have no problem abandoning their long-term partners for 20-year younger models….
OMG, I LOVE that dress on Meghan.
And I adore even more the warmth and love on her face as she talks to those kids. She and Harry couldn’t typify more the charisma and compassion of Harry’s mom.
They’re showing up, doing good and looking their best while doing it. The world should applaud them. It would be a better world if there were more like them.
I’m glad the trip looks like it’s going beautifully for them. They seem like such a warm and positive couple. I saw a picture of Harry greeting a little red headed boy and they both seemed to get a real kick out of each other, lol. It was so cute!
Day 1 has already had so many heartwarming moment. The staff, visitors and patients at the kid’s hospital were so happy to see Harry and Meghan that it was adorable. Seeing the veterans art museum was so moving and just made me so happy that Harry and Meghan were free to work how they want and with who they want.
So sweetly engaging with those poor little ones. Genuine. Like Diana.
They are the best of us. Such big hearts.
God bless. That’s all there is to say now.
They look hot as hell and relaxed. Like they were born to do this ♥️ Show and do good! That’s it.
Lovely dress, lovely event, lovely people.
Her posture is SO perfect! I wish I could look that natural and not like I’m forcing myself to stand up straight. 🤦🏽♀️