In brief
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived in Australia for a four-day tour, marking their first visit since 2018. The couple's itinerary includes charitable visits to a children’s hospital and military veterans while also conducting private engagements with significant financial elements, such as keynote speeches and wellness retreats. Amidst this, there are ongoing discussions about the potential costs incurred by Australian taxpayers for security measures during their visit.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived in Australia for a four-day tour which will see them combine visits to charitable causes alongside private, money-making engagements. The couple - no longer working royals and visiting in a private capacity - will meet patients and medics at a children's hospital, military veterans and their families, and survivors of family violence.The schedule also reflects the commercial aspect of the trip, with Prince Harry due to give a keynote speech at a summit where tickets cost up to A$2,400 (£1,260) per person. Meghan will hold an 'in-person conversation' at a women-only 'girls weekend' in Sydney hosted by the producers of the Her Best Life podcast. It is unclear how much Prince Harry and Meghan are being paid for the commercial events.The couple landed at Melbourne airport around 06:30 on Tuesday (21:30 BST Monday) on a commercial Qantas flight from Los Angeles. This is Harry and Meghan's first time in Australia since 2018 when they spent around nine days in the country as part of an intense tour shortly after their marriage.While that trip saw large crowds gather to greet them wherever they went, this time there are no events planned to meet members of the public. After stepping down as working royals in January 2020 and giving up their HRH titles, they are visiting as private citizens, claiming that the trip is privately funded. However, questions linger about whether Australian taxpayers are covering any costs related to policing during the visit.The visit will include stops in Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney, with charitable causes close to their hearts central to the trip. Harry is due to speak at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne, and while the official tour programme ends with a rugby match on Friday evening, Meghan will continue her activities with an event at a wellness retreat on Saturday, where guests are paying up to A$3,199 for VIP packages.There are indications that the couple may also be exploring opportunities in Australia for Meghan's As Ever lifestyle brand, which was registered in 12 product categories last year. They have opted out of public meet-and-greets, stating a desire to 'minimise disruption' to the public during their stay. Police services in Victoria and New South Wales will ensure safety throughout their visit, though concerns over taxpayer costs remain unresolved.
