Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are back in Australia for the first time since their headline-making 2018 royal tour, arriving in Melbourne this week to begin a packed slate of appearances that blends philanthropy, business, and public speaking.
According to People, the couple landed on April 14 after flying commercially from Los Angeles, choosing business class on Qantas rather than the private arrangements that marked their last trip to the country. According to fellow passengers, the pair kept a low profile during the flight before leaving Melbourne Airport without stopping for photos.
“It wasn’t until we got off the plane that we realized it was them,” one passenger said.
Another traveler said the couple briefly spoke about their children and their plans for the visit. “I hope you have a lovely time in Melbourne, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy Sydney,” the passenger said. “We spoke about their children and that they were here for a couple of days.”
This visit is markedly different from the Sussexes’ last appearance in Australia. In 2018, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrived as newlyweds on an official royal tour that stretched across Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand. During that trip, they revealed Meghan was pregnant with their first child, Prince Archie, while attending the Invictus Games in Sydney.
That earlier tour has since taken on outsized significance in the couple’s story. In later interviews, Harry described the trip as a turning point in his relationship with the royal institution, saying the enthusiastic public response created tension behind palace walls.
During his conversation with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry suggested that the treatment he and Meghan received after the tour echoed what his mother, Princess Diana, experienced when her popularity began to overshadow other members of the family.
Australia now represents something different for the couple: a return on their own terms. Their 2026 visit is not connected to the royal family and is instead centered on causes and projects they have chosen themselves.
Markle is expected to headline a “girls’ weekend” retreat connected to the Her Best Life podcast in Sydney, while Prince Harry will deliver the keynote address at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne, focusing on mental health in the workplace.
The trip also continues a recent run of international appearances tied to the Sussexes’ post-royal work. Earlier this year, they traveled to Jordan in partnership with the World Health Organization. In 2024, they made similar visits to Nigeria and Colombia, focusing on philanthropy and community outreach.
