As Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrived in Australia on Tuesday, April 14, for a four-day visit, the internet quickly began picking apart the Duchess of Sussex’s “gross” body language.
The couple’s visit marks their return to the country since their widely followed 2018 royal tour, but what was expected to be a nostalgic and celebratory comeback has instead sparked a heated online backlash.
Highlights
- Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s return to Australia has sparked intense backlash, with critics calling the visit a “quasi-royal tour.”
- From comparisons to Princess Diana and Catherine, Princess of Wales, Meghan’s on-camera behavior has become the center of a heated online debate.
- A royal expert also weighed in on the couple’s appearances, fueling speculation that the tour may be tied to commercial interests.
As videos from their first day circulated widely across social media, viewers began drawing comparisons, with many accusing Meghan of “cosplaying” other royal members.
“Stunts like this is EXACTLY why the titles need to be cut. They are gaslighting the public… and now they’re subjecting the poor Aussies to the same grifter a*use,” fumed one netizen.
Meghan Markle was brutally slammed, as critics accused her of copying Princess Diana and Catherine, Princess of Wales
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Unlike their previous visit, Meghan and Prince Harry traveled to Australia as private citizens on a privately funded trip, combining charitable engagements with commercial events.
Reportedly, their latest tour focuses on mental health, community resilience, and support for veterans.
On day one, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended several events in the bustling city of Melbourne, including visits to the Royal Children's Hospital, the Australian National Veterans’ Art Museum, and McAuley Community Services for Women, where Meghan made a solo appearance.
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While netizens have largely expressed dissatisfaction with the tour, the first day sparked significant controversy, particularly surrounding the couple’s visit to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
The 90-minute visit involved personal interactions with young patients and carried echoes of royal legacy, as it served as an homage to Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.
In October 1985, Diana visited the hospital, founded by her then mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, alongside her then-husband, Charles III.
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According to media reports, despite their status as private citizens, the couple received a massive reception, with hundreds of families and staff lining the hospital balconies to catch a glimpse of them.
Harry and Meghan spent roughly 15 to 40 minutes in the foyer, shaking hands, taking selfies, and accepting flowers and handmade drawings from patients.
The couple’s Australian tour marks their return to the country after more than seven years, this time as private citizens
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They also held private meetings with young oncology patients, including 12-year-old Novalie Morris, who told People, “I gave Harry flowers and he said 'thank you' and he told me to 'keep on being brave.' It cheered me up a lot and I’ll keep thinking about that."
Moreover, when some attendees addressed Meghan by her royal title, she reportedly responded warmly, saying, “Call me Meg.”
However, several videos from the couple’s hospital visit upset viewers, with many criticizing the Suits alum’s body language in the clips.
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Some harshly accused her of “copying” the demeanor of her sister-in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales, as well as Princess Diana.
One displeased netizen wrote, “She’s desperately trying to act like Catherine!”
Another agreed, saying, “Reminds me of the Diana years.. phenomenon,” while a third commented, “Literally copying Prince William and Princess Catherine. So pathetic. I can't believe they dragged these poor sick people out to create an illusion of excitement and a welcoming crowd.”
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Others expressed, “She is even more pathetic… with her narcissism. Who does she think she is? When will the RF remove their titles??? This trampling around the globe acting like a fake fool has to stop.”
Some critics also took issue with the optics of the visit, claiming that young patients were “paraded” out of their rooms to welcome the couple, while noting that, during her visits, Princess Diana was known for going room-to-room to meet patients individually.
One critic expressed online, “Absolutely disgusting that the hospital wheeled out obviously sick children for this ‘ego trip!!’”
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One netizen fumed, “Poor sick children being subjected to this. They are not royalty and should not be treated as such. All these people are doing is feeding their ego.”
Another commenter said, “This makes me angry. They’re treating this as a quasi-royal tour, not a private visit. They really think they are still royals with all the trappings that go with it.”
“What the actual f**k is this? They are doing a pseudo-royal tour here,” remarked a third.
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Another comment read, “I am disgusted with the hospital using sick children this way for a photo op.”
“Those poor kids and their families used as pr for the grifters. I wouldn’t let my child anywhere near them,” one person commented, while others noted, “They don’t donate and they don’t need to bring awareness to anything… I’m annoyed they were allowed to exploit children like this while their own children are hidden away…”
“She is basking in the attention! It doesn't matter to her if this is an "official" royal tour or not, all that matters is she's getting attention from people and she feels important. Look at me! Look at me!”
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Contrary to the online accusations, Harry and Meghan support various causes and regularly donate through their foundation Archewell Philanthropies, which was rebranded from the Archewell Foundation last year.
In some clips, Meghan was seen bending down to speak to young children at eye level, a gesture Princess Catherine consistently uses during public engagements, particularly with children.
One royal expert labeled Meghan and Prince Harry’s four-day visit as a “desperate attempt to monetise their status”
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While the internet has labeled the visit a “quasi-royal tour,” experts have also suggested that the couple may be leveraging royal-style appearances to advance commercial interests.
According to Giselle Bastin, an associate professor at Flinders University and an expert on the British royal family, “It’s well known that the Sussexes are in dire need of income and so a staging of a quasi-royal tour to Australia is being regarded as a rather desperate attempt to monetise their status as royalty.”
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She told the Australian Associated Press (AAP), “During the 2018 tour, Meghan was overheard to say that she couldn’t believe she ‘wasn’t being paid for this’, and the irony is that this time she is coming to Australia and being paid.”
While Bastin alluded to the couple being paid for the visit, this remains a matter of debate, as there is no direct evidence confirming the claim.
However, reports suggest that during the visit, Meghan is headlining the “Her Best Life” luxury women’s retreat at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, with tickets priced between $2,699 and $3,199 for the weekend.
Prince Harry is also a featured speaker at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit, where tickets range from $997 to $2,378.
Moreover, the tour coincides with Meghan's recent trademarking of her lifestyle brand, As Ever, in Australia for products such as jams and homeware.
“It's insulting, honestly. Crowds to meet 2 private citizens who brought nothing with them besides a camera crew,” wrote one critic
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