When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last visited Australia in 2018, they were greeted with huge excited crowds screaming their names.
But their trip Down Under next month could look very different.
A lot has changed in the near decade since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were here and it seems the public sentiment for them has also shifted.
A poll of nearly 10,000 Yahoo Lifestyle readers found 67 per cent were not excited for them to visit.
Royal expert Kinsey Schofield told Yahoo Lifestyle that since the couple relocated to the US, the “warmth that once surrounded them in Australia has noticeably cooled”, particularly given their criticism of the royal family.
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“Australia maintains a deep emotional connection to the monarchy, and the royal family continues to symbolise continuity and tradition within the Commonwealth,” she said.
“When Harry and Meghan spend years publicly criticising the institution and members of the family, it inevitably creates friction with audiences in countries that still hold that institution in high regard.
“When they later return to those same countries, the contrast between criticism and continued engagement does not go unnoticed.”
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What’s changed with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle since 2018 Australian visit?
The couple have had two children, Archie and Lilibet, since they were last Down Under.
It was actually during that 2018 visit that Prince Harry and Meghan announced they were expecting their first child.
They stepped back from their roles as working members of the royal family and moved to southern California.
The following year, they gave a wide-ranging and sometimes scathing interview with Oprah about what life was like in the British royal family.
Harry has also released his memoir Spare in 2023, which revealed even more private details of his life.
Airing this insider information did not go down well with some fans, as they thought it tarnished the image of the royals.
Why the 2026 Australian trip could look different to 2018
Kinsey told Yahoo Lifestyle that Harry and Meghan toured Australia seven years ago just after they married and were adored across the world.
“The reception they received was nothing short of euphoric,” she said.
“Crowds were enormous, the press coverage overwhelmingly positive, and the couple appeared to revel in the level of adoration that greeted them at every stop.”
She believed this rapturous reception gave them a “new confidence” that they could be more than just “supporting players within the institution”.
“They appeared increasingly determined to carve out a role that operated independently of the gravitational pull of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales,” Kinsey added.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were last in Australia in 2018 and the reception they received was nothing short of rapturous. Source: Getty
(James D. Morgan via Getty Images)
But the royal expert called this a major “miscalculation”, as their schism from the royal family, their independent endeavours, and documentaries and TV shows in the time since have muddied the world’s perception of them.
While their 2018 visit was largely positive, Kinsey said some of their engagements left audiences wanting.
“I’ve spoken with people who waited outside their hotel for hours hoping for a glimpse of them, only to learn the pair had quietly entered through a private entrance,” she revealed.
“One woman recalled that her daughter burst into tears after standing there all afternoon with no sign of them.
“Individually these moments may appear minor, but collectively they become part of the public memory.
“When those recollections are layered on top of years of criticism directed at the monarchy, it becomes easier to understand why the enthusiasm that defined the 2018 tour has gradually dissipated.”
What will Harry and Meghan do in Australia?
The full details of their trip are being kept under wraps at the moment, but they’ll be taking part in a number of “private, business, and philanthropic engagements”.
It’s understood that their two young children will not be joining them on the trip.
But here’s what we know so far.
Meghan will headline a weekend retreat held by the Her Best Life podcast.
The event will be held at the Intercontinental on Sydney’s Coogee Beach between April 17 to 19, and only 300 people will be able to attend.
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Podcast host Gemma O’Neill said the retreat will be an “unforgettable weekend” that’s been designed for women who want to “reconnect, recharge, laugh, learn and have some serious fun”.
Tickets to the retreat start at $2,699 per person and the VIP experience goes up to nearly $3,200.
That experience gets you a group photo with the Duchess and a table close to all the action.
Prince Harry, meanwhile, will be a keynote speaker at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne.
The event will take place from April 15 to 16, and will focus on Australia’s “escalating mental health crisis in the workplace”.
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