Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing for a high-profile visit to Sydney and Melbourne in mid-April, which will combine private, professional, and charitable engagements.
Their last Australian tour in 2018 drew huge crowds, but public sentiment has shifted, and the couple may face mixed reactions from monarchists.
The trip follows Prince Harry and Meghan’s humanitarian visit to Jordan, where they met displaced families and youth at the Za’atari Refugee Camp.
Prince Harry And Meghan ‘No Longer Assured Of A Warm Reception’ In Australia, Sources Warn
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly been warned that their upcoming trip to Australia could receive a mixed response from the public.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to travel to Sydney and Melbourne in mid-April for a series of private, professional, and charitable engagements.
The visit will mark the couple’s return to Australia since their widely celebrated royal tour shortly after their 2018 wedding, when large crowds gathered to see them.
However, observers believe public attitudes toward the pair may have changed since then, with a source sharing that they may “no longer [be] assured of a warm welcome.”
According to the Daily Express, an insider noted, “I think there will be plenty of monarchists and republicans who won’t welcome Harry and Meghan’s visit. Any ‘royal’ visit, even by members of the family who no longer represent the king, will inevitably create debate about the monarchy.”
The Sussexes’ Australia Visit Draws Attention Amid Royal Oversight
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Harry and Meghan’s planned visit comes not long after King Charles III traveled to the United States, his first visit there since 2018.
Charles himself visited Australia in October 2024, though reports at the time indicated that some officials at the New South Wales Parliament were disappointed by aspects of the trip.
According to reports, Charles and Prince William are said to be keeping a close eye on Harry and Meghan’s planned visit, particularly because it was arranged relatively quickly and ahead of any potential trip by senior working royals.
Last September, Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, met Charles at Balmoral and publicly invited William and his wife, Kate Middleton, to visit the country.
While there has been speculation about a possible tour later in the year, no official plans have been confirmed.
Prince Harry And Meghan Will Need ‘Thick Skins’ During Their Australia Trip
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Meanwhile, royal commentator Tom Sykes wrote in his “The Royalist” substack that Harry and Meghan “are likely to be lightning rods in Australia’s ongoing debate about the royal family and the country’s constitutional future.”
“For now, one thing seems certain: Harry and Meghan will need thick skins when they arrive in a country where they are no longer assured of a warm welcome,” Sykes added, per the Daily Express.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes confirmed the couple’s upcoming trip, saying they plan to take part in several private, business, and charitable events during their stay.
Their children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, are expected to remain at the family’s home in Montecito, California.
Meghan may also engage with Australia’s podcast scene, appearing on the “Her Best Life” podcast hosted by Jackie O Henderson, and possibly attending a Besties live event, similar to Gwyneth Paltrow’s 2023 Q&A in Sydney.
The Duke And Duchess Recently Traveled To Jordan
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Harry and Meghan’s upcoming Australia trip follows a recent humanitarian visit to Jordan, where the couple spent two days meeting vulnerable communities and organizations supporting people affected by conflict and displacement.
Invited by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, Harry and Meghan arrived in Amman for their first international tour together in roughly 18 months.
They were welcomed by Ghebreyesus and joined discussions with representatives from the United Nations, diplomats, and aid donors.
About Prince Harry And Meghan’s Trip To Jordan’s Za’atari Refugee Camp
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During their Jordan trip, Harry and Meghan traveled north to the Za’atari Refugee Camp, one of the largest in the region, where families live in semi-permanent housing with limited resources.
There, they toured a youth center run by the social development group Questscope, which offers programs in art, photography, music, and sports to support children’s well-being.
According to the BBC, Harry and Meghan actively engaged with the youth, playing football, visiting classrooms, and observing musical performances, including teenage girls playing traditional Arabic instruments and other students performing with violins and guitars.