On Tuesday, April 14 in the morning, Prince Harry (41) and Meghan Markle (44) landed in Melbourne on a commercial flight from Los Angeles. Eight years ago, when they were still members of the British royal family, they made an official visit where thousands of citizens cheered for them in the streets.
But this time everything has changed. They are no longer royal highnesses nor members of the Windsor family, so before arriving in Australia, the couple made it clear that it was a privately funded visit.
However, this statement has a catch, as regardless of participating in different social and charitable events, they also intend to profit from their visit with some events where tickets have reached 2,400 Australian dollars for him and almost 4,200 Australian dollars for her.
When it was announced that the Sussexes were going on this trip, a petition was created on Change.org supporting the decision to not publicly finance the visit and not have official protection. This initiative already has over 46,500 supporters.
Despite a spokesperson for the Sussexes stating that everything would come out of their own pocket, it turns out not to be true. As revealed by the Daily Mail, Harry and Meghan will be escorted by security forces from Victoria and New South Wales, so Australians will bear these costs through their taxes.
Meghan Markle during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the Melbourne Veterans' MuseumGTRES
With little rest and without suffering, for now, from jet lag, the first stop for the dukes was at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, where hundreds of people gathered in the lobby and hallways to greet them.
For at least 10 minutes, Harry and Meghan spoke with young patients, gave them warm hugs, allowed themselves to be recorded on video, and even took selfies. They received a warm welcome where they were given hand-drawn artwork and woven flowers.
With this visit, they paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who opened the facilities in 1963, and to the then Prince Charles and Lady Di, who visited the center with tremendous success in 1985.
It is noteworthy that in 1985, the then Prince Charles and Lady Di visited the same hospital during their royal tour of Australia. Queen Elizabeth II also visited the same place. During their brief stay, they participated in therapy in the garden with several teenage patients.
In her first public appearance, the duchess wanted to pay homage to Australian fashion by wearing a sleeveless dress with a flared skirt in dark navy blue and gold regimental buttons by designer Karen Gee.
After the visit, the Duchess of Sussex went to a shelter run by McAuley Community Services for Women that assists women and children experiencing family violence and homeless individuals, providing them with wellness programs, independence, and recovery.
Uninhibited, simple, and with a sense of humor, the American put on an apron, served her specialty, a frittata, and asked, "Anyone else hungry?"
Later, together again, they visited the National Veterans' Arts Museum of Australia where they met with war veterans and their families. During their time there, they participated in various creative activities focused on using artistic expression for healing purposes. This is related to the work that Charles III's son has been doing for several decades in support of veterans.
On this occasion, Meghan wore a jacket matching a skirt from Australian brand St. Agni.
It is unknown where they will stay since, on a previous occasion, during an official visit, they stayed at Admiralty House, designated to accommodate dignitaries and royal members. There are rumors that they may have booked luxury hotels or, as they did upon arriving in California where producer Tyler Perry offered them his mansion, they might stay with friends.
The rest of the days, the Sussexes' agenda is full of public and, above all, private events that are being closely watched because that is where they do business. For example, on Thursday, Harry will be the keynote speaker at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne where he will talk about leadership, psychosocial safety, and human connection in the workplace.
The cheapest ticket costs 600 euros, while the most expensive one is over 1,400 euros. However, there is an intermediate price for those who want to see it virtually as it 'only' costs 300 euros.
For this Wednesday, only the Duke's agenda is clear as he will attend a Movember event at the Western Bulldogs AFL club headquarters where funds are raised to raise awareness about men's mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
A few hours later, he will travel to Canberra where he will attend several events at the Australian War Memorial where he will meet indigenous veterans and participate in the Last Post Ceremony.
On Thursday, Harry and Meghan will be back in Melbourne where in the morning they will participate in the Scar Tree Walk, an Aboriginal tour along the Yarra River, and then attend an event organized by Batyr, an Australian mental health organization, and later, the InterEdge Summit event will take place.
On Friday, they will travel to Sydney where they will join Invictus Australia where they will meet former competitors with whom they will sail on the city's iconic harbor and then enjoy a rugby match between the NSW Waratahs and Moana Pasifika.
Lastly, the Duchess will be the sole focus of another event held from Friday to Sunday, a kind of retreat for women organized by the Her Best Life community where they gather to reconnect, recharge, and have fun. Meghan is expected to appear on Saturday, and the price to see her ranges between 1,630 euros and 1,930 euros for a VIP ticket.
After their journey through Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney, the dukes will return to Los Angeles to reunite with their children, Prince Archie, almost 7 years old, and Princess Lilibet Diana, almost 5.