Prince Harry And Meghan Markle are about to embark on a quasi-royal trip to Australia, but parts of their schedule are already sparking controversy online.
Markle is set to headline an exclusive women’s retreat, with her husband speaking at a mental health summit. However, speculation is growing that organizers may want to stay silent after a journalist claimed she was refused entry despite paying thousands of dollars to attend.
Reports also suggest the Australia tour could already face other early challenges. Prices for Harry’s summit were reportedly slashed after slow sales, while Markle’s retreat, initially described as full, later saw additional rooms quietly made available.
The Duchess of Sussex is also said to be disheartened following the cancellation of her Netflix series amid the couple’s financial woes.
Journalist Reportedly Denied Entry to Meghan Markle Event
Ahead of Harry and Markle’s so-called “non-royal” trip to Australia, their itinerary generated significant buzz on social media.
Harry is set to give a speech on mental health at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne. For her part, Markle will headline the “Her Best Life” women’s retreat at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach.
However, the nature of Markle’s event came under scrutiny after Australian journalist Ariana Pezeshki claimed organizers denied her entry because of her profession, according to 7News magazine.
Reporter Says She Paid $2.7K For Meghan’s Retirement
Pezeshki said she paid $2,699 for the chance to see the former “Suits” actress speak, as well as access to additional perks including a yoga session and a private dinner.
However, she claims organizers refunded her payment and removed her access to the event after discovering the nature of her work.
According to Pezeshki, several aspects of the experience raised red flags. As a result, she requested a tax invoice, but received an email informing her that she would no longer be allowed to attend. She said organizers then began describing the retreat as a “closed-doors experience.”
Internet divided over Meghan Markle’s ‘no journalists’ retirement
Internet users quickly flooded social media with mixed reactions, although many appeared to support the organizers.
“It is completely inappropriate not to notify the organizers in advance and [present the proper] media credentials. This is a holistic retreat, not Watergate,” one Reddit user wrote.
This sentiment was echoed across the platform, with another person writing: “It’s a retreat… Relaxation, laughter, peace and love. No journalists.”
Some responses were more sarcastic. One commenter joked: “Meghan has a team of forensic detectives on her PR team. »
Harry and Meghan’s appearances appear to suffer from a problem
Harry and Markle’s upcoming appearances appear to have hit a setback, as reports suggest that enthusiasm for the events may not be as strong as initially expected.
Organizers of the InterEdge Summit have reportedly slashed ticket prices, with entry to the event now costing around half the original amount after sales struggled to gain momentum. Tickets originally priced at $1,978 are now listed at $997 on the event’s website.
Meanwhile, Markle’s wellness event, hosted by Jackie ‘O’ Henderson and her manager Gemma O’Neill, was initially reported to have sold out. However, O’Neill later revealed that the hotel had opened a handful of additional rooms, inviting interested guests to inquire via direct message.
Meghan Markle is ‘disappointed’ about the cancellation of her show
In recent years, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have faced a series of financial setbacks after losing several multi-million dollar deals. Most recently, reports confirmed that Markle’s Netflix series “With Love, Meghan” would not be renewed for another season.
According to Us Weekly, a source revealed that she was disappointed by the cancellation of her show and is now looking for her next step.
“She put so much heart and soul into it and really believed in it,” the source shared, adding that Netflix was expecting a lot more viewers than Markle’s show managed to deliver.
The couple also faced criticism in the press, including reports that Netflix was having difficulty working with them. Nevertheless, an insider claimed that they did not pay attention to the criticism and remained united.
“They view affected rooms as something that comes with the territory. They are used to it,” the source said.