HARRY AND MEGHAN HAVE ARRIVED IN AUSTRALIA FOR A FOUR-DAY TOUR THAT INCLUDES BOTH CHARITABLE ENGAGEMENTS AND COMMERCIAL EVENTS, ACCORDING TO THE BBC.

Charitable Visits and Public Interaction

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. No longer working royals. Have arrived in Australia on a commercial Qantas flight from Los Angeles; they will visit the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, where they met patients, medics, and families. Hundreds of people gathered to catch a glimpse of the couple, who spoke with children and their parents, including Emily Burke and her daughter Phoebe.

According to Burke, Meghan spoke with Phoebe and commented on her Bluey slippers — the couple also met with other onlookers, including staff and patients, but the visit to the hospital is part of their focus on charitable causes and issues close to their hearts.

Commercial Aspects of the Tour

The tour also includes commercial events, with Prince Harry set to deliver a keynote speech at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne, though Tickets for the event range from A$1,000 to A$2,400. Some profits from the event go to the charity Lifeline; the BBC has asked the organizers whether the Duke is receiving a fee for his involvement.

Additionally, the Duchess of Sussex will hold an ‘in-person conversation’ at a wellness retreat in a five-star Sydney beachside hotel — Guests are paying up to A$3,199 to attend a ‘girls’ weekend,’ with a VIP package including a group table photograph with Meghan. The event has not sold out and is still advertising a ‘handful of additional rooms.’

Public Safety and Funding Concerns

While the couple is visiting as private citizens and claim the trip is privately funded, there are questions over whether Australian taxpayers are covering any of the costs related to policing during the visit. Police in Victoria and New South Wales have confirmed they will have a presence, though neither service would comment on whether taxpayers are funding the security costs.

A spokesperson for the New South Wales Police Force said they will conduct an operation to ensure public safety during the visit. Additional security measures will be implemented throughout their stay in New South Wales, while minimizing disruption to the community.

A spokesperson for Victoria Police stated they were ‘aware two high-profile people are visiting Melbourne in a private capacity in April.’ Police routinely assess events and visits and will deploy resources as necessary to ensure community safety.

There are also suggestions that Australia may be a market for Meghan’s As Ever lifestyle brand, which has featured prominently in a Netflix series produced by the couple’s production company. Last year, the brand registered trademarks in 12 different product categories in Australia, according to a government intellectual property database.

The couple has opted not to do public meet-and-greets, citing a desire to ‘minimise disruption’ to the public and host organizations. The official tour programme ends on Friday evening with a rugby match in Sydney, but the Duchess will hold her event on Saturday.