Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia tour fails to shift opinion
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have been met with a sceptical public verdict in Australia after a new poll suggested their recent four-day tour did little to improve attitudes towards them. The survey findings, published after the couple left the country on Friday, also indicated most respondents do not expect the trip to help repair Prince Harry’s relationship with King Charles III.
Data from pollster Roy Morgan found 81% of Australians said the visit did not improve their opinion of the couple, while 19% said it did, Daily Mail reported.
The research was based on responses from 1,767 Australians aged 18 and over and suggested awareness of the tour was widespread, with more than 80% saying they knew the Sussexes had been in the country. On the question of family reconciliation, 87% said the visit would make no difference to Prince Harry’s relationship with the King, while 13% believed it could help.
The findings add to recent scrutiny of the couple’s activities during the trip, including criticism over commercial tie-ins and appearances; our earlier coverage noted they were slammed over ‘cash tour’ claims in Australia as debate grew about how the Sussexes present their post-royal roles overseas.
While the poll suggested Meghan performed slightly better on an individual measure, with about one in four respondents saying the trip showed a more positive side of her, a majority still reported no improvement in their view. The survey also found 69% of Australians said the couple had not been treated unfairly by the Royal Family, with 31% disagreeing.
The results underline the challenge the Sussexes face in shifting public perceptions during high-profile overseas visits, even when engagements include charitable events alongside media and commercial appearances. Any longer-term impact on their public standing in Australia, and on wider royal-family dynamics, remains uncertain.
