Prince Harry and Meghan Markle faced criticism for a recent visit to Australia that commentators described as a "bizarre" or "faux" royal tour [1].
The backlash highlights the ongoing tension between the couple's use of royal titles and their distance from the British monarchy's official duties. Critics argue that the trip served personal interests rather than diplomatic goals.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday of last week as part of a broader itinerary across Australian cities [2]. However, the visit was characterized by some observers as a publicity effort designed to broadcast personal grievances [1, 3].
Louise Roberts of Sky News Australia said the tour was a departure from the purpose of the monarchy. She compared the couple's actions to those of King Charles III, who spent the same week representing Britain [1].
"While the Sussexes continued staging these bizarre for‑royal tours, most recently to our shores, Charles spent this week fulfilling the monarchy’s real purpose, representing Britain, not himself," Roberts said [1].
Commentators alleged that the couple exploited their titles for commercial gain, and personal branding [1, 4]. Roberts said that the job of the King is not to land in a foreign country and start broadcasting personal grievances [1].
This criticism follows the couple's decision to leave the royal family in 2020 [5]. Since that transition, the Sussexes have navigated a complex relationship with the monarchy while maintaining their titles of Duke and Duchess.
“The tour was described as broadcasting personal grievances and exploiting their titles for commercial gain.”
The controversy surrounding this Australian visit underscores the continuing friction regarding the 'half-in, half-out' status of the Sussexes. By conducting tours that mimic official state visits without the oversight of the Palace, the couple risks alienating traditional royalist audiences while attempting to build a global commercial brand.
