Leslie Massey
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle embarked on their first official tour as a married couple in October 2018, visiting Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga. The 16-day trip marked a significant milestone in their royal duties and included a packed schedule of engagements. However, despite the tour occurring during the peak of Megmania in Australia, with the couple drawing large crowds and media attention, Meghan reportedly disliked the tour, finding the engagements pointless. Since then, Harry and Meghan have stepped down from their royal duties and moved to California, sharing their experiences in a Netflix docuseries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of visit | October 2018 |
| Length of visit | 16 days |
| Purpose of visit | First official royal tour since their marriage; coincided with the fourth Invictus Games |
| Locations visited | Sydney, Melbourne, Dubbo, Fraser Island, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand |
| Activities | Visited the Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo, and Bondi Beach |
| Media presence | Large media presence at the airport and during the tour |
| Popularity | The tour occurred during the peak of "Megmania" |
| Meghan's experience | Meghan reportedly "hated every second" of the "pointless" engagements, according to a royal expert |
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What You'll Learn
Meghan and Harry's 2018 Australia tour
In October 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle embarked on their first official royal tour since their marriage. The 16-day trip to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga marked a significant milestone for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The tour began in Sydney, where the couple was driven to Admiralty House, the official residence of Australia's Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove. They had a busy schedule, including a visit to the Taronga Zoo, where they met koalas and female conservation scientists fighting wildlife trafficking. They also attended a rehearsal of the Bangarra Dance Theatre at the Sydney Opera House and finished their first day with a reception at Admiralty House. During their time in Sydney, they also visited the Royal Flying Doctor Service and met with local farmers affected by drought.
The tour coincided with the fourth Invictus Games, a cause close to Prince Harry's heart. They attended the wheelchair basketball finals and the Closing Ceremony, where they both gave speeches. Meghan gave her first tour speech before being rushed from market crowds, and Harry had a poignant moment with a Fijian well-wisher. The couple also spent time in Melbourne, the drought-stricken NSW town of Dubbo, and Queensland's Fraser Island.
The trip was a 'rousing success' for Meghan and Harry, who won hearts and connected easily with the people they met. However, it has been reported that Meghan 'hated every second' of the tour, finding the engagements 'pointless'. Royal biographer Tina Brown wrote that Meghan lacked a defined 'brand' and was more interested in causes she wanted to spotlight. Despite the mixed feelings about the tour, it was a memorable and significant event that highlighted the couple's popularity and impact in Australia and beyond.
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The couple's first official royal tour
In October 2018, four months into her pregnancy, Meghan Markle, alongside her husband Prince Harry, embarked on their first official royal tour to Australia, coinciding with the fourth Invictus Games. The 16-day trip included visits to Sydney, Melbourne, Dubbo, Fraser Island, and other destinations in Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's tour followed in the footsteps of Prince Harry's parents, Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, whose first royal tour was to Australia and New Zealand. The couple were driven to Admiralty House, the Sydney Harbour residence of then Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, the Queen's representative in Australia.
During their stay in Australia, the couple visited the Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo, and Bondi Beach. They also took part in dozens of official engagements, including seventy-six events, showcasing Meghan's stamina and ability to connect with people. According to Harry, the tour was a turning point, as it showcased Meghan's ease in her new role and her ability to connect with people, which brought back memories and may have contributed to their eventual decision to step back from royal duties.
However, despite the positive public perception, Meghan reportedly disliked the tour. Royal biographer Tina Brown wrote that Meghan found the itinerary of engagements "pointless." A royal staffer also commented that Meghan did not seem to grasp the "representational role" of the British monarchy and was more interested in causes she wanted to spotlight.
The couple's experiences during the tour, including their interactions with the press, are featured in their Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan," which chronicles their courtship, their complex journey within the royal family, and their eventual exit and move to California.
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The tour coincides with the fourth Invictus Games
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle embarked on their first official royal tour since their marriage in October 2018, visiting Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand. The 16-day trip coincided with the fourth Invictus Games, which began in Sydney. This international sporting event, founded by Prince Harry in 2014, celebrates and honours wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women. The Games aim to support their recovery and generate respect and understanding for their sacrifices and fighting spirit.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's attendance at the Invictus Games in Sydney marked a significant moment in their royal tour. The Games hold a special significance for Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan and witnessed the life-changing injuries of his comrades. In an emotional speech at the opening ceremony, he emphasised the unifying spirit of the Games, bringing together competitors from multiple nations in a showcase of their resilience and mutual respect.
The Invictus Games in Sydney featured over 490 competitors and 1,000 family and friends, creating a community of support for the athletes. The event included various sporting disciplines, with athletes representing their respective countries. Prince Harry and Meghan were actively involved in the Games, offering words of encouragement and interacting with competitors, guests, and volunteers. Their presence at the Games was met with enthusiasm, providing an opportunity for personal connections and memorable interactions.
Beyond the Invictus Games, the royal tour included a series of official engagements and visits to notable attractions. Prince Harry and Meghan explored Sydney, Melbourne, Dubbo, and Fraser Island in Australia before continuing their journey to Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand. The tour received widespread media attention, with the Australian press coining the term "Megmania" to describe the public's fascination with the couple, particularly Meghan.
The tour held personal significance for Prince Harry, as it retraced the footsteps of his parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, whose first royal tour was to Australia and New Zealand. It also marked a turning point in their royal journey, as within 18 months of the tour, Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles and relocated to California. The Invictus Games and the subsequent tour of Australia thus played a pivotal role in shaping the couple's path and their relationship with the royal family.
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Meghan hated the 'pointless' engagements
There is currently no information on when Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are coming to Australia. However, the couple did embark on a 16-day royal tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga in October 2018. This marked their first official royal tour since their marriage.
Meghan hated the pointless engagements
Meghan Markle reportedly "hated every second" of her 16-day royal tour of Australia, according to royal expert Tina Brown and a former palace employee. In her book, "The Palace Papers", Brown writes:
> "So Meghan must have been thrilled with it all... right? No. She apparently hated every second of it. She found the itinerary of engagements 'pointless', a former Palace employee told me."
Despite the trip taking place at the peak of "Megmania", as dubbed by the Australian press, Meghan is said to have disliked the series of engagements. She is quoted as telling her staff that it was "silly" that so many people turned up for their arrival in Sydney.
Brown also claims that Meghan and Harry's importance in the royal hierarchy went unrecognized during the tour. The couple completed 75 to 76 engagements in 16 days, all while Meghan was in the early stages of her first pregnancy.
In addition, Meghan is said to have struggled to grasp the "representational role" of the British monarchy during the tour, instead focusing on the causes she wanted to spotlight. According to Brown, Meghan lacked a defined "brand" and instead latched on to the "Twitter cause of the moment".
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The tour was a catalyst for their exit from royal life
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first official royal tour since their marriage was to Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand in October 2018. The 16-day trip coincided with the fourth Invictus Games and included dozens of official engagements.
The tour was a turning point for the couple, who, within 18 months, had stepped back from their royal duties and moved to California with their son Archie. In their 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, Harry acknowledged the significance of the Australia tour, stating that it "really changed" things for them. He highlighted how Meghan's natural connection with people during the tour brought back memories and may have made the royal family more aware of her capabilities.
Royal biographer Tina Brown noted that Meghan found the itinerary of engagements "pointless." According to Brown, Meghan disliked the tour despite her ease with the public, as she was more interested in causes she wanted to spotlight. A royal staffer supported this view, stating that Meghan didn't seem to grasp the "representational role" of the monarchy during the tour.
The tour's impact on Meghan and Harry's perspective was further emphasized by royal expert Robert Lacey, who suggested that the trip became a "'catalyst' for their eventual exit from senior royal roles. This catalyst theory is echoed by other sources, including Vanity Fair, which attributed the leak of the couple's plans to leave Britain as the trigger for their Instagram announcement and subsequent steps toward financial independence.
While some reports suggest that Meghan disliked the tour, others indicate that it brought into sharp focus the differences between her and the royal family's expectations and priorities. This realization may have been a pivotal moment in their decision to eventually step back from royal life and forge their own path.
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Frequently asked questions
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry visited Australia in October 2018.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were on their first official royal tour since getting married in May. The 16-day trip coincided with the fourth Invictus Games.
They visited Sydney, Melbourne, Dubbo, and Fraser Island. They also went to Admiralty House, the Sydney Harbour residence of Governor-General Peter Cosgrove.
According to royal expert Tina Brown, Meghan Markle "hated every second" of the "pointless" engagements. However, Harry stated in their 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview that the trip was when the family "got to see how incredible she is at the job".
