Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's 'Faux Royal' Tour: Commentator Reveals Why Australia Event Is A 'Dubious' Move

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will return to Australia this month for a string of private and public events that one veteran commentator claims will 'upset' Buckingham Palace, with the duchess fronting a high-priced women's 'wellness' retreat in Sydney as the centrepiece. The trip, which Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are undertaking without their children Archie and Lilibet, has been described by critics as a 'faux royal' tour designed to boost the couple's brand.

The Sussexes last visited Australia in 2018 on a formal royal tour that took in Sydney, Melbourne, and regional communities, complete with walkabouts, official receptions, and heavy media coverage. Then, they were newlyweds and working royals, representing the late Queen and hailed as the modern face of the monarchy. This time, they return as private citizens, having stepped back from royal duties in 2020, set up commercial ventures in the United States, and levelled a series of public criticisms at the institution they left behind.

Details of the Australian schedule, as reported by the Daily Express, suggest a carefully calibrated mix of business, philanthropy, and high-end networking rather than the traditional ribbon-cutting format of royal tours. Organisers say Harry and Meghan will be in the country for 'private, business and philanthropic engagements', with no indication of any events being carried out on behalf of King Charles or the Australian government.

Meghan Markle's Sydney Retreat At Heart Of 'Faux Royal' Debate

At the centre of the debate over the Sussexes' visit is Meghan Markle's role in a three-day 'Her Best Life Retreat' at Sydney's five-star InterContinental Coogee Beach Hotel from 17 to 19 April. Billed as a luxury event for up to 300 women, the retreat promises what organisers describe as 'powerful conversations, relaxation, laughter and unforgettable experiences,' capped by a gala dinner featuring an in-person conversation with the duchess.

Standard tickets for the women-only gathering are priced at £1,440 each, according to the Express, with VIP packages offering premium seating in the front two rows and a group photo opportunity with Meghan. The Duchess of Sussex is expected to appear as a guest speaker and interviewee on stage, giving attendees rare proximity to one of the most polarising figures in contemporary royal life.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams argues this is where the line between royal gravitas and celebrity enterprise becomes particularly blurred. Speaking to the Daily Express, he called the Australian trip a 'faux royal' tour and said it was 'intended to boost their brand', adding: 'One thing is undeniable, their ability to get publicity is extraordinary.'

He went on: 'However, in contrast to their 2018 tour, when they were working members of the Royal Family, this looks very dubious. It has become notorious owing to Meghan's main activity, her so-called all-women Wellness Weekend at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach Hotel.'

The language is sharp, but Fitzwilliams taps into a broader unease among royal traditionalists who see the Sussexes' use of quasi-royal formats—overseas visits, keynote speeches, carefully staged photo ops—without formal sanction as confusing at best, and provocative at worst.

Australia, Royal Realms And A Palace Likely To Bristle

The sensitivity, Fitzwilliams suggests, is not only about Meghan Markle's wellness branding or Prince Harry's commercial speaking career but about geography and timing. Australia is one of the King's realms, where Charles is head of state and where republican debates simmer just beneath the surface of national politics. According to Fitzwilliams, the Palace is unlikely to welcome the spectacle of an unofficial Sussex 'tour' in a country that had reportedly been pencilled in for a future visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

'It is also likely to upset the Palace as Australia is one of the King's realms and was due a visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who were last there in 2014,' he said. In his view, the Sussexes are effectively filling a vacuum left by the scarcity of senior royal overseas trips, while offering something that looks, to the casual observer, very much like a royal roadshow.

Prince Harry's side of the itinerary appears more conventional in tone. Fitzwilliams expects the duke to 'undertake engagements linked to the military' and to speak at the Inter Edge Summit on mental health, continuing themes he has championed since his time in uniform and through the Invictus Games. 'What actually happens will be fascinating,' the commentator added, a remark that feels as much a nod to the couple's knack for rewriting scripts mid-tour as to any formal agenda.

What is missing, for now, is any official comment from Buckingham Palace or from Harry and Meghan's own representatives on the criticism that their visit is 'dubious' or that it treads on royal toes. There is also no public suggestion of coordination with Australian authorities beyond the usual logistical arrangements for high-profile visitors. Nothing so far confirms behind-the-scenes tensions, so suggestions of Palace unease remain speculative and should be treated with caution.