Harry and Meghan have touched down in Australia for a four-day tour taking in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney — but many Australians appear either unimpressed or entirely unaware they have arrived.
The couple flew in on Qantas flight QF94 from Los Angeles, landing at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport at 6.38am on Tuesday. They were met by a private convoy and ushered out through a VIP exit.
The itinerary covers causes close to the Sussexes — veterans, children’s welfare, mental health and sport — but the schedule contains no public meet-and-greets, with organisers citing security concerns and the cost of maintaining public order.
That decision may matter less than expected. Vox pop interviews conducted with Sydney residents suggested the visit has generated little excitement on the ground.
“They are very much about self-promotion. They are probably my least favourite royals, let’s put it that way,” one man told the BBC.
“I really think they need to step up and do more for the general public and finish this ongoing feud with their family, which is to be honest becoming pretty boring.”
The same man added that the visit had barely registered in the Australian media: “I wasn’t aware they were coming to Australia at all. I haven’t seen anything on the news.”
A woman interviewed nearby was even more cutting: “Can I be honest and tell you I really don’t think of them at all,” she said.
A third simply asked: “I don’t know why they are coming.”
Taxpayer row
The visit has not been without controversy. More than 46,000 people have signed a petition demanding that no public money be spent on the couple’s security.
The Sussexes’ spokesperson initially dismissed the concern as “a moot point,” insisting the trip was privately funded — but authorities in New South Wales and Victoria subsequently confirmed that taxpayers would be contributing to at least part of the security operation.
The contrast with their previous Australian visit in 2018 is stark. That trip, an official royal tour shortly after their wedding, drew warm crowds and enthusiastic public receptions. This time the welcome is decidedly cooler.