Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to embark on a trip to Australia in mid-April, with royal author Tom Bower claiming Meghan broke a promise to the late Queen with the trip
Charlotte Foster Royal Reporter
20:47, 23 Mar 2026
(Image: Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are gearing up for their upcoming trip to Australia, where they will be visiting Sydney and Melbourne for a series of charitable activities. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed earlier this month that they would be jetting off Down Under in mid-April, marking their first visit to the country in over seven years.
Despite not being an official royal tour, royal author Tom Bower, who has recently written a book on the Sussexes titled Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, has labelled their trip as “grubby” and a “cash grab”.
In an interview with Australian publication The Daily Telegraph, Bower accused Meghan of breaking a promise she made to the late Queen Elizabeth by proceeding with the visit. He stated: “First of all Meghan is doing it for money, it’s rather grubby … she’s monetising her royalty which I think is pretty shabby because she promised the Queen she wouldn’t do that.
“I think they are going to find it much rougher than they anticipated when they arranged this trip. This trip to Australia is clearly to make money to raise their profile”.
Throughout their stay, the pair will tackle separate commitments, with Meghan taking centre stage as the star guest at a ‘girls weekend’ retreat in Sydney. The Duchess is scheduled to deliver talks during this “weekend like no other,” including at a lavish dinner, where VIP ticket holders will have the opportunity to pose for a photograph with her, reports the Mirror.
The cost of attending has left many supporters gobsmacked, with entry prices beginning at a staggering £1,439. This fee includes guests’ lodging at a beachfront Sydney hotel and admission to three days of activities, featuring a gala dinner, yoga and meditation workshops, and a disco party.
Prince Harry, meanwhile, will address attendees at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne, billed as a “professional development summit designed to equip leaders, practitioners, and changemakers with the knowledge and tools to create mentally healthy, safe, and high-performing workplaces.”
Entry to the mental health conference starts at £1,054, with revenue from ticket sales being donated to Lifeline. The remainder of Harry and Meghan’s schedule remains under wraps, though their representative confirmed they will “take part in a number of private, business and philanthropic engagements”.
With only weeks to go before the Sussexes touch down on Australian soil, Meghan has made a significant move suggesting she may be planning to grow her lifestyle venture, As Ever, during the packed visit. According to The Times, documents lodged with Australia’s intellectual property office reveal that Meghan has secured trademark protection for her brand spanning multiple categories, including cosmetics, fragrances, food seasonings and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
The official records indicate that the trademark received approval last year whilst Harry and Meghan’s Australian visit was still being organised. As Ever can presently only be bought in America, though Meghan has hinted previously at ambitions to expand the enterprise internationally.
With mere weeks remaining until Harry and Meghan travel Down Under, PR specialist Dermot McNamara shared with New Magazine that the visit represents a “last chance” for the Sussexes to define their professional trajectories clearly.
He explained to the publication: “It’s a last chance for them to establish where they fit and where they want to go. Harry, in particular, probably feels he should get back out there and they know Australia is a place that loves them dearly, especially when compared to the UK.
“So it’s a trip that has a lot of possibilities but also a lot of risk. It offers a middle ground for them to present themselves as Harry and Meghan, as royals, and as international celebrities, without it being too much in everyone’s faces.”
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