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Many people find themselves puzzled by the imminent arrival of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Australia.
Although their journey is a personal one, given that the Sussexes are no longer acting as official royal representatives, their ties to the British monarchy remain. This connection might not guarantee them an entirely warm welcome on Australian soil. A clear indication of potential resistance is the petition by Beyond Australia, which has garnered over 35,000 signatures, urging that no public funds should be allocated to the couple’s visit.
Interestingly, a former employee of King Charles has shed light on a different aspect of the visit that has the monarch on edge, rather than the petition itself.
Grant Harrold, who served as King Charles’ butler for seven years, had a range of responsibilities including valet, housekeeper, house manager, and chauffeur. He also cared for Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate during their stays at Highgrove House. Since parting ways with the royal household, Harrold has established himself as a prominent etiquette expert in the U.K., a best-selling author, and a royal commentator.
In a discussion with Joe Fortune for Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Harrold remarked, “King Charles and Queen Camilla are not likely to be upset, but they will certainly take interest in the petition advocating for the Sussexes to finance their own visit. The petition is clearly aimed at Harry and Meghan, not the king and queen, as it suggests that the couple should cover their own expenses. I doubt this will distress the royal family.”
However, Harrold does believe that the king will be worried about one thing in particular, explaining, “Australia doesn’t tend to agree with the monarchy at the best of times. The fact that they will have non-working members of the royal family going to Australia … Monarchy in Australia is a big debate at the moment, and if anything, that will worry the king, because they’re trying to keep relations good with Australia.
“They won’t want Harry and Meghan going there, and causing any more upset, or spurring on more protests or discussions about the monarchy off the back of it. That is what the king and queen won’t want to happen while they’re out there. That is possibly how damage could potentially happen. When they’re there, if they do anything to cause any upset, it could potentially open up the debate about the monarchy all over again.”
Royal expert Chris Riches weighed in on the pair’s trip as well and doesn’t believe it’s good time for the Sussexes or any members of the family to visit Australia, telling The Mirror, “Prince Harry and Meghan Markle think they will get a red carpet as ‘welcomed royals’ when they arrive Down Under, but they could be heading into the hornets’ nest — covered in sticky honey. If ever there was a time for one of their faux-royals to jet into a country that’s expressed the desire to axe Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the Line of Succession, it’s not now.”
This will be the first time Meghan and Harry have visited the country since their 16-day tour of the South Pacific after they were married in 2018.