It’s looking like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s upcoming visit to Australia will be mostly focused on a blend of commercial interests (paid appearances in Sydney and Melbourne) and charitable/philanthropic interests. This is not a “royal tour” and the Sussexes don’t give a crap about their “approval ratings” in whatever emotional-support poll. Well, even though this is not a royal tour, it’s difficult to escape the fact that Harry and Meghan have been to Australia more recently than the future king of Australia, Prince William. William and his wife haven’t stepped foot in Australia since 2014. King Charles has only been to Australia once as king, and before 2024, it had been years since he visited. THAT is why there’s such a tizzy over the Sussexes’ visit. Please allow the Mail’s Amanda Platell to spell it out:
Harry and Meghan have announced they will be embarking on a pseudo-royal tour of Australia in mid-April. But do the Sussexes realise that they might be heading for a blunder Down Under? Their last trip to Oz was in 2018, when the newly married Sussexes – who had announced they were pregnant with their first child the day before touching down – were welcomed by cheering monarchists waving Union Jack flags and throwing kangaroo paws flowers and roses in their path. But if they think this trip will be anything like those heady days, they are in for a rude awakening.
Even before they arrive, questions are already being asked about why non-royals Meghan and Harry are visiting their country, when the last time they saw King Charles and Queen Camilla was two years ago, and Prince William and Princess Catherine not since 2014. So much for the special relationship with their Head – and future Head – of State.
Indeed, constitutional experts in Oz predict Harry and Meghan’s visit will provide ‘a lightning rod’ for Australia’s republicans, igniting further debate about whether King Charles should remain their head of state – or, shockingly, whether they need one at all.
Inevitable questions are being asked about why there haven’t been more frequent visits by senior members of the Royal Family. With the King’s ill health and Kate’s recovery from cancer, the spotlight has been thrown on to Prince William. Some are rudely asking online: ‘Does William even want to be our next Head of State or not?’
Others question, quite understandably, what relevance either Charles or William has to a modern Australia when they live half a world away.
It was surely not the Sussexes’ intention to cause discomfort for Charles or William. Harry is there to further his involvement with the Armed Forces and veteran communities for his admirable Invictus Games initiatives. There are reports that Meghan is due to appear as a guest on the Her Best Life podcast, launched and co-hosted by Aussie radio star Jackie O Henderson. Perhaps she’s looking to promote her As Ever lifestyle brand now her Netflix deal is over?
But I fear what the Sussexes don’t realise is that the Australia they visited in 2018 is no longer a photo-op destination for royals – or indeed non-royals – to further their interests and causes or monetise themselves. And if they’re expecting locals to be gushingly grateful, they’ve got another thing coming.
Platell went on to claim that Harry and Meghan’s approval ratings in Australia have plummeted, while also acknowledging that the galloping success of Sussexes’ 2018 South Pacific Tour led to much screaming and crying in William and Kate’s camp. If this serves as a reminder that William and Kate were terrified of being eclipsed by the popular and charismatic Sussexes, good. That really was the start of the Windsors’ racist campaign to bully Meghan out of the country. Anyway, the point of Platell’s piece is extremely funny – “It was surely not the Sussexes’ intention to cause discomfort for Charles or William.” I dare say that the Sussexes do not give a sh-t about the “discomfort.” And “Harry & Meghan should be worried about visiting Australia because Charles and William are unpopular there” is not the argument the Mail thinks it is.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey.,Image: 1081428664, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Arthur Edwards/Avalon
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- Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey.,Image: 1081452711, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Arthur Edwards/Avalon
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- Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey. Prince Albert of Monaco greets Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Botchwey,Image: 1081463086, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Arthur Edwards/Avalon
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- 09/03/2026. London, UK. Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey.,Image: 1081660055, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image is free for use but may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: Pete Maclaine/Avalon
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- The opening ceremony of the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 08 Feb 2025 Credit: INSTARimages
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- The opening ceremony of the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 08 Feb 2025 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend wheelchair basketball at the Vancouver Convention Centre during the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver Featuring: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 10 Feb 2025 Credit: INSTARimages
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- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex at Wheelchair Basketball in Vancouver Convention Centre during Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Featuring: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 09 Feb 2025 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- Whistler Welcome Celebration at the 2025 Invictus Games Featuring: Meghan Markle Where: Whistler, Canada When: 10 Feb 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Whistler Welcome Celebration during The 2025 Invictus Games Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 11 Feb 2025 Credit: INSTARimages
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Whistler Welcome Celebration during The 2025 Invictus Games Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 11 Feb 2025 Credit: INSTARimages
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- Annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbe Featuring: Prince William Where: London, United Kingdom When: 09 Mar 2026 Credit: Aaron Chown/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
It’s not a royal tour!! Harry and Meg are private citizens and they do and go where they want! Just stop beating the dead horse with this “pseudo royal tour” shit!!!
People travel to Australia all the time. For tours and for philanthropic initiatives.
The only difference is that people will be actively following the Sussexes entire visit, whereas most people recieve attention for specific events or causes.
It’s blowing my mind that it’s supposedly blowing their mind 😂 but I know it’s not actually blowing the Rita’s minds.
They are being entirely disingenuous and shady about the Sussexes visits – acting as though only royals travel anywhere for any reason. And anyone else is met with disdain and a lot of confusion when they travel 😂
It’s just that the UK royals don’t travel anywhere, especially the Waleses. They rarely are even seen in public much less in public in their own city much less in public a continent away.
CAN THE MONARCHY REALLY SURVIVE WITHOUT A SPARE TO BLAME ?? I DON’T THINK SO. EVERY CRITICISM OF THEM IS STILL WRAPPED AROUND M&H 🥱 THE REAL PROBLEM IS THAT MEGHAN AND HARRY WORK ALOT.
Seriously good point. Can they survive without a spare to blame, to punish, to do all the heavy lifting?
This is so not a royal tour! They are going there to actually do things! They are not going there to ride around/wave and cost the government gobs of money! They are private citizens with business and charitable interests to take care of. Sheesh! Some just need to get a life and leave H&M to lead their own lives.
I doubt the Sussexes expect it to be the same as their last tour. Or for the reception to be the exact same. Please. So while not the same, I still think it will go just fine. Apparently Australia is talking about making a bid to host IG again in 2030.
Arguably as non-royals the Sussexes will probably get a much better reception than the Windsors would right now, because as Platell mentioned they haven’t visited in years. Plus, Harry and Meghan won’t have republican protests at their events, so that’s a plus.
It’s a weird criticism, and seems almost shoehorned in to what is otherwise a valid critique of the royals. Also, Platell should maybe be careful about setting low expectations that the Sussexes’ reception will automatically be worse than 2018 when, for example, Meghan was not able to share as much of her personality for fear of outshining the royals. I think through Spare, Oprah, Netflix etc their public profiles have grown, so why wouldn’t that be reflected in 2026?
Haha. So Meghan and Harry mustn’t make money in Australia, but certainly the other non-working royals, Zara and Pete can do whatever.
When your argument is two private citizens shouldn’t visit another country privately to undertake private ventures you are losing.
A TIMELY REMINDER FOR THE CABAL OF BRITISH RACIST CLOWNS-WITH-PRESS-PASSES WHO ENSLAVE THEMSELVES TO THE WINDSORS FOR CRUMBS……………………..heres a bit of insight into why none of your jibes will ever suppress the inimitable Meghan Sussex:
“All the grandeur surrounding this stuff is an attachment that I don’t personally have… I’ve been a waitress, an actress, a princess, a duchess — I’ve always just still been Meghan. So for me…..the most important title I will ever have is ‘Mom.’ I know that.”
I was thinking the exact same way…
Lol. “Some are rudely asking online: ‘Does William even want to be our next Head of State or not?’” Yeah! How dare those peasants have questions for their Head of State?!!
And ” But I fear what the Sussexes don’t realise is that the Australia they visited in 2018 is no longer a photo-op destination for royals” well it’s a good thing it’s not a royal tour then isn’t it?
It’s weird to me that this columnists can’t seem to wrap their heads around someone traveling somewhere and not expecting or requesting to be met with cheering crowds and adoration. That they may be there just to work for the purposes they signed up for. And that it won’t be with an entourage for public consumption.
At the end of the day the most relevant question for them shouldn’t be what welcome Harry and Meghan get, but why none of the working royals including the current and future head of state have made any attempt to visit them recently.
Oh, they wrap their heads around it just fine. But they can’t come right out and say the obvious things – that William and the rest of the RF don’t give a crap about Australia and that the feeling is mutual. H&M are a convenient cloak for so many criticisms.
As an Australian who moves in different circles, I can confirm that you are correct.
Also gives away the game for what these royal tours are: ‘a photo-op destination’.
If I had to work for the daily mail for a living or be a royal reporter to survive, I would rather apply for food stamp while going to school in the hope of getting a better job! It must be soul crushing to have to write such drivel for a living
She’s getting mid 6 figures plus expenses to write this crap, most of which is probably initially written for her. She has no other skills, she moved to the UK from Australia to be a tory press secretary.
I am Australian. William is not wanted; we don’t like sooky la las who throw their toys out of the pram. We do like those who work hard and care about others.
As an Australian, I don’t think special criticism is levelled at William. It’s just that we are ambivalent about the monarchy. The GG is even viewed as our HoS by some because he or she serves that constitutional function. On a daily basis, Australians don’t think about the monarchy.
This is to reply to @gaylene, that really does cut to the heart of it, doesn’t it? Because if all the Commonwealth nations — or even half of them — said, no thanks, to the Monarchy, we’d like to remain in the Commonwealth, but we’ll pick our own head of state, thanks, then, that would be it. Not much point preserving an imperial baroque top-heavy billion dollar brand for just…. England. I mean. Really.
After the failure of the Voice to Parliament referendum, it will be a long time before another is put to the Australian people. Plus, our PM, supposed to be an avowed republican, enjoys sucking up to royalty because of the perceived power and attention it gives him and his colossal ego on the world stage.
Convict , as another Aussie you put that so beautifully .
Nicely put!
Bingo. Keep Canada in the Commonwealth and ditch the ‘royal’ head of the foundation. Countries in the CW should be able to vote on a leader.
Murdoch press is very rabid in Australia.
Platell is one of their gross reps.
Harry & Meghan will need to gird their loins.
I continue to be confused by “Bad, Mean, monarchy-hating Harry and Meghan should be afraid of the royalists in Australia who are on Charles’ and Will’s side,” but ALSO “Stupid, Royal-adjacent Harry and Meghan should be terrified of the Australian republican movement who will take one look at them and forget that they’re not actually repping the Royal Family anymore!”
Pick an outrage lane, please, Royal reporters. It can’t be both.
All hand-wringing aside — this seems to me like the perfect opportunity for Meghan to announce her As Ever brand is now available for shipment internationally.
I think Platell came up with what she thought was a clever phrase, “the blunder Down Under,” and then wrote a whole column about it.
But it’s not the Sussexes who make blunders on these trips. It’s the Waleses. Which is why the Waleses stay mostly at home.
And Cluck and Cloppy, his old mare going walkabout barefoot like she’d thrown a horseshoe during their last trip. Was she even sober then? I’m betting she had more sheets to the wind than the Sydney Opera House for most of the trip.
What planet do these people live on where the only people allowed to philanthropic is Royals? They aren’t even, they give lip service and show up with empty hands. The jealousy!!!
The most beloved royal by Australia was Princess Diana. That’s when Charles saw how she was much more popular and beloved than him and the entire royal family. We also know that H&M were similarly welcomed by Australia like Diana. It was rubbed on Williams face how he will NEVER be as beloved like his little brother.
William is just boring. That ‘s his biggest prob.
If he were simply boring, it wouldn’t be so bad. The problem is, he’s boring because he’s stupid.
Stupid, lazy, uninterested, and uneducated, because in his case, you can’t count those private schools. Schools where he showed up for classes out of grace, and the palace made sure he passed the next year, and every semester they called to raise his grades because “the future king can’t get expelled or have the worst grades in school.”
He also doesn’t read, he’s always bragged about what he does, and only watches superhero movies. And Suits :)))))
So what can you talk to him about?
He’s also a boor and an aggressive sociopath.
It’s best to avoid him!
Inevitable questions are being asked about why there haven’t been more frequent visits by senior members of the Royal Family. With the King’s ill health and Kate’s recovery from cancer, the spotlight has been thrown on to Prince William. Some are rudely asking online: ‘Does William even want to be our next Head of State or not?’
Wilbur hated being fired to his face during that disastrous 2022 Royal Tour. He’s willing to travel abroad for Earthshot but apparently Foreign Office is cross with his lack of enthusiasm for foreign travel at their request. Harry and Meghan are bright eyed and bushy tailed and have had successful humanitarian visits abroad. The contrast with Will is glaring. Kate Mansey on Saturday in The Times was begging Kate to accompany Will on his trip to US in July because Trump beems at her like a favourite child on her graduation day, apparently 🤣 Wishfully she adds that Kate is traveling more and doing more engagements and even opined that last Thursday she looked like she was ENJOYING her job for the first time since her return to work!? Sorry Ms Mansey but Kate ‘s New Deal doesn’t include foreign work tours!!
The British are worrying about royal tours but I can guarantee that no one in Australia wants to see any of the left overs. Especially if they have to subsidize the visit.
AND would you believe they show up with a photo of themselves as a present to their host country ( probably wearing looted jewels from said former colony!!)
Harry and Meghan already visited a Commonwealth realm without any issues. Canada. And they even did the Invictus games there.
Canadians loved the games and didn’t have an issue with Harry and Meghan despite all the fits of the British press.
This is going to be the same thing. Those who want to see them will see them and the best part is that taxpayers don’t have to fund their trip.
The DM are on stuck on the belief that the trip is a royal tour. It’s not.
“Harry and Meghan have announced they will be embarking on a pseudo-royal tour of Australia”
They announced no such thing! They’re doing business, philanthropy, personal items like many other well connected people in the world. These reporters are whack. Why this insistence on calling everything they do pseudo-royal? It’s baffling