Prince Harry and Meghan to arrive in Australia

Meghan Markle et le prince Harry

SYDNEY - Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan will arrive in Australia on Tuesday for a four-day visit with engagements covering sport, mental health and veterans’ affairs.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will begin their trip with a visit to a children’s hospital in Melbourne, before Meghan attends a women’s domestic violence shelter, their office said in a statement.

“Their program will focus on mental health, community resilience, and support for veterans and their families, alongside private meetings and special projects,” the statement said.

The couple will travel to the capital Canberra on Wednesday to meet military veterans, attend a mental health summit in Melbourne on Thursday, and round off the trip with sailing and rugby events in Sydney on Friday.

The Sussexes stepped down as working members of the British royal family and moved to the United States in 2020, citing a desire to be financially independent and to escape what they characterized as media intrusion into their private lives.

They last visited Australia in 2018 while still working royals, announcing Meghan’s first pregnancy hours after arriving in Sydney.

Their latest visit has captured public attention in Australia, where Britain’s King Charles is the head of state but a sizeable minority supports becoming a republic.

The couple’s travel is being privately funded, though local media reported some policing costs associated with the visit will be paid by the Australian taxpayer, sparking a protest petition signed by more than 45,000 people.

Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Kate Mayberry