{"id":565526,"date":"2026-03-26T11:53:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T11:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/565526\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T11:53:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T11:53:16","slug":"prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-respond-to-petition-with-35000-signatures-about-australia-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/565526\/","title":{"rendered":"Prince Harry and Meghan Markle respond to petition with 35,000 signatures about Australia visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Representatives for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle<\/a> have responded to petition about their upcoming Australian visit that’s gone viral.<\/p>\n

Nearly 36,000 people signed the Change.org campaign<\/a> calling for no taxpayer funds to be used for their April trip Down Under<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Signatories were insistent that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex<\/a> would have to foot the bill themselves for “security, logistics or government coordination”.<\/p>\n

The Australian Federal Police told Yahoo Lifestyle that it does not comment on protection arrangements.<\/p>\n

But a spokesperson for the pair have now hit out against the petition.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

“The trip is being funded privately, so I’m not sure what this petition hopes to achieve,” the statement<\/a> said.<\/p>\n

Prince Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties in 2020 and have lived in the United States ever since.<\/p>\n

Their trip is considered “private” and will be a mix of business events, media appearances, or private engagements.<\/p>\n

The Change.org petition was started by Beyond Australia, who tried to argue that the “security and coordination would place a cost on Australian taxpayers”, and “official support should be reserved for formal state or royal duties”.<\/p>\n

Do you have a story to share? Contact au.lifestyle.ent@yahooinc.com<\/a><\/p>\n

But the Duke and Duchess have insisted that when engaging in private visits of any nature, they pay all the associated costs.<\/p>\n

“All travel arrangements undertaken by The Duke and Duchess in their private time have always been and will continue to be paid for privately,” a statement on their shared website states<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“With their transition to becoming members of the Royal Family with financial independence this will continue to be the case.<\/p>\n

“Wherever possible and unless advised otherwise on security grounds, their logistical arrangements are undertaken via commercial air carriers, local trains and fuel-efficient vehicles, be it for official or personal travel.”<\/p>\n

What are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s plans for Australia visit?<\/p>\n

It’s unclear how long the couple is planned to be in Australia for, but they could face an icy reception when they land.<\/p>\n

A poll of more than 5,800 Yahoo Lifestyle readers found 95 per cent were not excited for their arrival.<\/p>\n

The full details of their trip are set to be released in due course, but here’s what we know so far.<\/p>\n

Meghan Markle is set to appear at a ticketed Sydney event hosted by the Her Best Life podcast.<\/p>\n

The weekend event is taking place from April 17\u201319 at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, with tickets ranging from $2,699 to $3,199 per person.<\/p>\n

Only 300 people will be able to attend.<\/p>\n

Prince Harry, meanwhile, will be a keynote speaker at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne.<\/p>\n

The event will take place from April 15 to 16, and will focus on Australia\u2019s “escalating mental health crisis in the workplace”.<\/p>\n

The summit will bring together leaders, policymakers, practitioners and advocates to explore ways of creating “psychologically safe, mentally healthy and high-performing workplaces”.<\/p>\n

The couple last visited Australia in 2018 for their first major overseas tour as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.<\/p>\n

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