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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are heading to Australia in April and there is one question people want answered.
It’s not just whether or not we’ll finally got to try some of her jam, but over costs associated with their security.
Last time the couple were Down Under in 2018, they were on official business representing the Crown so the Australian taxpayer picked up the bill.
Of course, a lot has changed since then, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepping down from their working royal roles in 2020.
Here is everything we know about how the trip is being paid for…
Who is paying for Harry and Meghan’s trip to Australia?
The duke and duchess will visit cities including Sydney and Melbourne to carry out engagements tied to their personal business and charitable interests.
An online petition calling for no taxpayers’ money to be contributed to what is therefore a private trip has gathered more than 35,000 signatures.
“At a time when Australians are facing significant cost-of-living pressures, including rising grocery bills, fuel prices, mortgage stress driven by interest rate hikes, and increasing energy costs, public resources must be used responsibly and applied fairly, without special treatment for high-profile individuals,” the change.org petition says.
A representative of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has called it a “moot point” stating this won’t be a publicly funded trip.
“The trip is being funded privately, so I’m not sure what this petition hopes to achieve,” a rep for the couple told the Daily Mail.
“If you wanted to dive into the ridiculousness of this petition as an agenda for spreading misinformation, then one could equally hypothesise that there are approximately 26.5 million Australians who haven’t signed it, who must therefore agree with the taxpayer picking up the tab for their visit. Of course, that is another equally stupid assertion to make.”
However, it turns out that at least some of their security costs will be funded by tax payer services with local police confirming they will provide protective services as the need arises.
“The New South Wales Police Force will conduct an operation to ensure public safety is maintained during the visit by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” the spokesperson told the Sydney Morning Herald on April 10. . “The operation will require some additional security measures throughout their stay in New South Wales, while minimising any disruption to the community.”
While on their first visit they travelled with a massive entourage of security and federal police, their activities are likely to be much more low-key this time around meaning their security arrangements will be easier to handle.
It is believed that no royal walkabouts or public meet and greets have been planned for this reason.
Why are Harry and Meghan headed to Australia?
Some details of Harry and Meghan’s trip have been released, however we are still waiting to find out what is on the full itinerary.
Meghan is scheduled to appear on stage and at a gala dinner at a Her Best Life event at Coogee, where tickets cost $2699 to $3199 per person.
Prince Harry will speak at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne, where tickets start at $1978.
The couple are likely to be pocketing a fee for their appearances, with accommodation and travel costs also being picked up by these organisations.
Invictus Australia announced they were making a bid to hold the games in 2031, just days after Harry and Meghan’s trip was confirmed.
It seems likely that the couple will attend some kind of launch event with the organisation given their close ties to the games designed for injured and ill serving troops and ex-service personnel.
That couple’s first visit to Australia was designed to coincide with the 2018 games that were held in Sydney. If the bid is successful, it is almost guaranteed we will see Harry and Meghan Down Under again.
