Harry and Meghan slammed by Australians as locals deliver brutal verdict on visit

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have landed in Australia for a four-day tour but many locals appear either unimpressed or entirely unaware they have arrived

Harry and Meghan have arrived in Australia for a four-day visit encompassing Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney – yet numerous Australians seem either underwhelmed or completely oblivious to their presence.

The pair touched down on Qantas flight QF94 from Los Angeles, arriving at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport at 6.38am on Tuesday. They were greeted by a private motorcade and whisked away through a VIP departure point, reports the Express..

The programme focuses on issues dear to the Sussexes – veterans, children’s welfare, mental health and sport – though the agenda includes no public walkabouts, with planners pointing to security worries and the expense of crowd control.

That choice may prove less significant than anticipated. Street interviews carried out with Sydney locals indicated the trip has sparked minimal enthusiasm amongst residents.

“They are very much about self-promotion. They are probably my least favourite royals, let’s put it that way,” one gentleman told the BBC.

“I really think they need to step up and do more for the general public and finish this ongoing feud with their family, which is to be honest becoming pretty boring.”

The same gentleman noted that the visit had scarcely featured in Australian media coverage: “I wasn’t aware they were coming to Australia at all. I haven’t seen anything on the news.”

A woman questioned close by was even more scathing: “Can I be honest and tell you I really don’t think of them at all,” she said.

A third simply enquired: “I don’t know why they are coming.”

Taxpayer row The visit has not been without its share of controversy. Over 46,000 individuals have signed a petition demanding that no public funds be used for the couple’s security.

Initially, the Sussexes’ spokesperson brushed off the concern as “a moot point,” asserting the trip was privately funded – but authorities in New South Wales and Victoria subsequently confirmed that taxpayers would indeed be contributing to at least part of the security operation.

The difference with their previous Australian visit in 2018 is striking. That journey, an official royal tour shortly after their nuptials, attracted warm crowds and enthusiastic public receptions. This time around, the welcome is noticeably chillier.