Overview
- Meghan Markle posted an Instagram montage on Sunday that showed behind-the-scenes moments from the four-day Australia visit, including a brief kiss with Prince Harry and a ‘Welcome Home’ banner from their children.
- A Roy Morgan survey reported Monday found 81% of 1,767 Australians said the trip did not improve their opinion of the couple, and 87% did not think it would help Harry reconcile with King Charles III.
- The compact program mixed hospital, veterans and mental-health visits with private events, including stops at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, the veterans arts museum, a session with batyr, a women’s shelter, Invictus-linked sailing and a paid ‘Her Best Life’ retreat.
- Critics questioned the couple’s tour model and commercialization, noting retreat tickets priced up to $3,199 and online listings that let fans buy Meghan’s Bondi outfit on a platform she backs, which commentators said blurred advocacy and revenue.
- Media chatter included a body-language expert saying the pair looked tense early on before relaxing, and tabloids pushing an unconfirmed claim that the Irwin family declined a meeting, which relied on a single magazine source.