Prince Harry and Meghan Markle touch down in Australia on economy flight ahead of 4-day tour

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have quietly touched down in Australia, arriving on a commercial economy flight ahead of a packed four-day tour across Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex travelled on Qantas flight QF94 from Los Angeles, which landed at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport at 6.38am on Tuesday. According to reports, the couple were seated in 3E and F during the long-haul journey, opting for a low-key arrival that went largely unnoticed by fellow passengers.

“It wasn’t until we got off the plane that we realised it was them,” one US traveller on board told The Age, highlighting just how under the radar the royal couple managed to remain.

Upon landing, Harry and Meghan were swiftly escorted from the tarmac by a private convoy, marking the start of a privately funded visit that blends both charitable work and commercial commitments.

Their office confirmed the four-day trip will “focus on mental health, community resilience, and support for veterans and their families, alongside private meetings and special projects,” reinforcing causes that have long been central to their post-royal work.

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Notably, the couple’s children will not be joining them on the visit, which runs from Tuesday to Friday and will not include any traditional public walkabouts.

Alongside their philanthropic engagements, the trip will also see both Harry and Meghan step into the spotlight for a series of high-profile speaking events. Meghan is set to appear on stage in Sydney at a “girls’ weekend” retreat hosted at the five-star InterContinental Coogee Beach hotel. 

© Justin Goff Photos/Getty Images

Tickets for the intimate 300-person event start at £1,400, with VIP packages priced at £1,670 offering attendees a group photo with the duchess.

The event, organised by Her Best Life podcast host Gemma O’Neill, was announced last month and is expected to draw a global audience eager to hear Meghan speak.

Meanwhile, Harry will take to the stage in Melbourne as a guest speaker at the InterEdge Summit on Thursday. 

The conference will explore the “intersection of leadership, psychosocial safety and human connection in the workplace,” with delegate tickets priced at £525 and premium platinum access reaching £1,250. A virtual ticket, allowing on-demand access to his speech, is also available for £260.

In a statement, the Office of Harry and Meghan said: “Across all engagements, the visit will highlight the duke and duchess’s continued commitment to supporting mental health, strengthening support for the armed forces community, and championing the power of connection and shared experience to drive positive change.”