According to a royal expert, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's recent trip to Australia was designed to replicate the appearance of an official royal tour, positioning the couple as 'heirs' to the monarchy's public role. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams described the four-day schedule, which included children's hospital visits, military engagements, and public walkabouts, as a series of 'carefully pre-planned events' on a 'faux royal' tour.
Fitzwilliams pointed specifically to their visit to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, a location with deep royal connections, as being 'carefully planned to make them successors to a royal tradition.' He argued that while the causes they promoted—veterans, mental health, and youth work—were worthy, the staging of the appearances was the key focus.
The analysis noted that Prince Harry's solo appearances tied to military remembrance and Meghan Markle's separate engagements, including a paid wellness retreat, blended charitable work with commercial elements. The expert concluded that the Sussexes were not acting as private celebrities on a simple work trip, but were performing a royal-style template outside the official palace system.