Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s visit to Australia reportedly did more than promote charity and wellness work. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were said to be using the trip to recreate the look of a royal tour. The four-day schedule mixed children’s visits, military moments, public walkabouts, and a separate paid retreat for the “Suits” alum, all while the couple stayed outside the working monarchy.
Royal expert analyzes Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ‘pre-planned’ events in Australia
According to the Express, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said the couple was “obviously positioning themselves as heirs.” He made that claim while Meghan Markle and Prince Harry moved through a schedule spanning Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney.
The report stated that the trip focused on veterans, mental health, sport, and youth work. It also noted that the Sussexes had already visited the Royal Children’s Hospital, while Harry later carried out solo appearances tied to military remembrance and mental health.
Meanwhile, Fitzwilliams said the strongest point was not the causes themselves, but the way the appearances were staged. He called them “carefully pre-planned events” on a “faux royal” tour. Then he pointed to the hospital stop in Melbourne. He said the visit was “carefully planned to make them successors to a royal tradition.”
Express added historical context there. Queen Elizabeth opened the hospital in 1963, and Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited the place during their 1985 Australia tour. Fitzwilliams said the images with children were “touching and heartwarming.” However, he also called the non-royal framing “totally hypocritical.”
The article then widened the argument beyond one photo opportunity. Fitzwilliams said Harry‘s day-two appearances showed him “in his element.” The report linked that to his Invictus work and military ties. It also noted his remarks about needing to “deal with stuff” from his past and “cleanse” himself.
At the same time, Markle‘s separate women’s refuge stop and her paid wellness weekend kept the commercial element in view. According to the report, the tour had progressed largely as the Sussexes hoped. Still, the expert’s point stayed the same. Harry and his wife were not acting like private celebrities on a simple work trip. Fitzwilliams argued they were performing a royal-style template, only outside the palace system.
