Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s four-day tour of Australia in April 2026 drew crowds but failed to shift public opinion significantly, with 81% of Australians saying the visit did not improve their view of the couple, according to a Roy Morgan poll.
The Sussexes positioned the trip as a test run for a potential part-time return to royal duties in the UK, framing it as a blend of public engagements and private appearances. They visited Melbourne Children’s Hospital, met first responders from the Bondi terrorist attack, and appeared on MasterChef Australia, even as Harry spoke at the InterEdge Summit on workplace mental health.
Despite the curated schedule, observers noted a shift in public perception. Mick Carroll, editor-in-chief of news.com.au, said the mood contrasted sharply with their 2018 tour, when crowds deliberately waited hours to see them. This time, most attendees were already at venues like Bondi Beach for leisure, not specifically to see the couple.
Claire Harvey, editorial director of The Australian newspaper, described the reception as resembling that of celebrities rather than royalty, comparing the crowds to those gathering outside courts for celebrity drink-driving cases or butchers handing out free samples. She called it a “damning verdict” on the couple’s attempt to rebrand their public role.
The Roy Morgan poll revealed deep scepticism: 87% did not believe the trip would help Harry repair his relationship with King Charles III, and 75% said it did not show a more positive side of Meghan. Only 19% said their opinion improved, while 41% said they would welcome the couple moving to Australia.
Internally, the Sussexes viewed the tour as a success. A source close to the couple told Heatworld they were “very pleased” and believed they had tested a “playbook” that worked, reinforcing their confidence that they could offer a new model for the monarchy. They argued the trip distracted from palace scandals and proved their relevance.
One royal editor called the Australia visit a “dummy run” for a similar UK trip, with Harry reportedly pushing to be accepted back into royal duties on a part-time basis, particularly to counter fallout from Prince Andrew’s scandal. He hopes to meet his father within months to discuss a return.
Did the Australian public support Harry and Meghan moving to Australia permanently?
Only 41% said they would welcome the couple moving to Australia, while 59% said they would not, according to the Roy Morgan poll.
What did Harry and Meghan hope to achieve with this tour?
They aimed to test a part-public, part-private engagement model as a blueprint for a potential return to royal duties and to demonstrate their value to the monarchy amid ongoing scandals.
