Royal commentators suggest the planned visit could stir fresh debate about the monarchy in Australia
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly left King Charles concerned following news that the couple plan to visit Australia next month.
The claim comes from Grant Harrold, a former royal butler, who believes the announcement may raise worries inside the Palace due to the ongoing debate around the monarchy in Australia.
Speaking to The Cheat Sheet, Harrold explained that Australia has not always been strongly aligned with the monarchy, making the visit potentially sensitive. According to him, the King may be uneasy about how the trip could be received, particularly since Harry and Meghan are no longer working members of the royal family.
“Australia doesn’t tend to agree with the monarchy at the best of times,” Harrold said. “The fact that they will have non-working members of the royal family going to Australia could raise concerns. The monarchy in Australia is already a big debate, and the King will want to keep relations positive.”
Harrold suggested there may also be concern that the visit could encourage protests or reignite discussion about Australia’s ties to the monarchy.
“They won’t want Harry and Meghan going there and causing any further upset or fuelling more protests or debates about the monarchy,” he added. “That’s something the King and Queen would prefer to avoid while they’re there.”
He continued that if anything controversial were to occur during the visit, it could reopen the national conversation about the monarchy.
Harry and Meghan recently confirmed they plan to travel to Australia next month. The trip will mark their first visit to the country since their 16-day royal tour shortly after their wedding in 2018.
