Critics question the modest venue after images from the Duchess of Sussex’s wellness event begin circulating online
Meghan Markle has come under online criticism after the first images from her upcoming Australian wellness retreat surfaced on social media.
The Duchess of Sussex is expected to appear at the event, but attention quickly shifted to the venue after the retreat’s organiser, Gemma O’Neil, posted a video tour of the conference space at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach.
The clip showed a simple beige hotel conference room prepared as the setting for Meghan Markle’s appearance. Soon after the footage spread online, several social media users began mocking the setup, arguing that it looked far from the glamorous atmosphere many had expected.
One user on X joked, “From royal banquets to a lowly hotel conference room. Downgrade complete.”
Another commenter compared the space to what they described as a “low-end Holiday Inn real estate conference,” while a third claimed they had visited the room before the hotel changed ownership and described it as “stuffy and claustrophobic.”
The modest setting has drawn comparisons to Meghan Markle’s past appearances at large-scale royal events before she and the Duke of Sussex stepped back from royal duties in 2020. The couple later relocated to California with their children and have since focused on independent projects and media ventures.
So far, Meghan Markle has not publicly responded to the criticism surrounding the retreat’s venue.
