The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in Australia for what is being described by observers as a four-day, “quasi royal” visit that will combine both charitable endeavours and commercial engagements.
The couple landed in Melbourne on Tuesday to kick off their first trip to Australia since their 2018 royal tour.
Unlike that earlier visit, this one is being undertaken in a private capacity, after they stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2020.
Their itinerary spans Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney, and includes visits to a children’s hospital, a women’s homeless service, and events supporting military veterans and their families, according to a statement provided to the media.
Prince Harry is scheduled to attend engagements linked to veterans and mental health, and will deliver the keynote address at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne – a national conversation on psychosocial safety and leadership. Meghan will take part in a separate wellness-focused event in Sydney, where she is expected to headline a multi-day retreat.
Tickets for the summit range from hundreds to more than two thousand Australian dollars, while the Sydney retreat – described as a “girls’ weekend like no other” – is priced at up to A$3,199, including premium packages.
The pair’s programme in Australia will focus on “mental health, community resilience, and support for veterans and their families, alongside private meetings and special projects”.
The Sussexes have included private events “to support broader commercial, charitable, and community objectives.
“These are separate from the core programme of public-facing visits,” according to the statement.
The visit differs in other ways from a traditional royal tour. There are no public walkabouts planned, with reports citing security considerations and costs. The trip is privately funded, although local police are expected to provide security during public appearances.
Royal researcher Giselle Bastin said the inclusion of paid events marked a shift from past visits. “The fact that they are not working royals and are staging this visit as a quasi-royal tour would leave the Windsors nonplussed,” she said.
She also suggested public enthusiasm may be more muted than in 2018, when the couple drew large crowds during their official tour.
However, British royal commentator, Afua Hagan, said the couple will face criticism regardless of their approach.
“If they didn’t have commercial interests, then the problem would be, oh my goodness, these people are leeching off the royal family and the taxpayers,” she said, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“The negative press when it comes to Harry and Meghan is what sells the tabloids, it’s what sells the papers,” she said.
The trip comes as the couple continues to build independent careers outside the monarchy, including media and publishing deals, while maintaining involvement in charitable initiatives such as veteran support and mental health advocacy.
Their current visit is expected to conclude later this week in Sydney.
