The Times of London published another column about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s upcoming trip to Australia. Really, the column was a piece of Deranger fiction, in which self-styled Sussex critics try in vain to bend reality to their delusions. Rocking in their padded cells, muttering “Australians hate Harry and Meghan, they’re running out of money, Netflix can’t stand them, runny jam, runny jam, runny jam.” This is partly a palace operation too, that’s why the royal commentators have been going buckwild about the Oz trip – it was no coincidence that a “royal insider” told Becky English that Meghan’s participation in an Australian girls’ retreat means that Meghan is “basically Fergie.” None of these people has the good sense God gave a grapefruit. Well, I thought you might like this piece from NewsNation, all about the (what else) Oz trip.

There have been scads of rumors surrounding Meghan Markle’s involvement in Gemma O’Neill’s “Her Best Life Weekend” in Sydney since it was announced earlier this month.

People have claimed Markle would be getting paid “millions” or even tens of thousands of dollars to co-host the April event taking place at the Intercontinental Hotel in Coogee Beach — but they’re wrong.

I’m told by a source close to the situation that Markle is indeed receiving a “nominal fee” (nowhere near the huge amounts cited elsewhere), and that is all.

”She’s going as a favor to a friend,” the source said.

However, travel costs are also being covered. The friend being Marcus Anderson, the Canadian consultant and Global Membership Director for SoHo House, who also introduced Markle to Prince Harry. Anderson is not only opening a SoHo House Sydney later this year, he is also good friends with O’Neill — who needs a financial boost as the Aussie tax man is on her for AUS$550,000 she owes in back taxes.

Prince Harry, however, is being paid a speaking fee for giving the keynote speech at the inaugural InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne. Harry, whose rates have dropped from $1 million in 2020 to just $50,000 per event, is said to be giving a speech regarding mental health in the workplace, strategies for improving psychosocial safety, and leadership, despite never having held down a regular job.

I’m also told the dynamic duo will be doing “lots of charity” work while they are there, although they apparently want it to be a surprise. One can only wonder if they will attempt to stop by Bondi Beach — the site of the December Hanukkah massacre, where 15 people (including a 10 year-old girl) were killed by Islamic extremists.

[From NewsNation]

Let me get this straight… Meghan is receiving a nominal appearance fee and her travel expenses are being paid for. Harry dropped his speaking fee to a low amount to make a speech about issues he cares about deeply, mental health, psychosocial safety and leadership. On top of all that, Harry and Meghan will be doing several charity appearances, completely unpaid, and likely involving their Archewell Philanthropies donating money to local charities. At what point will royalists actually see what’s in front of them? This Oz trip is NOT about money. It was never about paychecks or speaking fees. Harry and Meghan are millionaires who wanted an excuse to travel to Australia to visit with friends, make a couple of minimally-paid appearances and focus on charity and their favorite causes. If the royalists admit that Harry and Meghan don’t *need* the money, then what are they left with? “How dare Harry and Meghan travel and be visible and steal the thunder of the grim left-behinds!”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.