As Meghan prepares to headline a luxury women’s resort in Australia, critics are raising eyebrows at the price tag and questioning the motives behind her latest venture.
Markle will be headlining a women’s retreat in Australia on her podcast Her Best Life. Podcast hosts Jackie O Henderson and Gemma O’Neill have tapped the former Suits star to lead the event, which will focus on “powerful conversation, relaxation, laughter and unforgettable experiences.”
Attendees can become part of the VIP experience for approximately $2,288 or lock down early bird tickets for $1,930.
Ms O’Neal said she planned to interview Ms Markle as part of the event. O’Neill said Markle was invited to attend the event as a favor for a mutual friend, but said the former royal also “really loves what our community is about.”
The weekend’s biggest moment, the gala dinner, was billed as a “face-to-face conversation” with Markle.
VIP guests will be able to take part in a group photo with the Duchess of Sussex, as well as receive a goody bag and access to an ocean-view hotel room.
One royal expert said the event provided a rare opportunity to see a more personal side of the Duchess.
Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital: “I think it’s a great opportunity for our guests to meet a royal with a real heart, and for Meghan to relax and spend time with people who want to hear her thoughts on life.” “I’ve always said that she was very underrated in some quarters and had to fight against all kinds of adversity to survive and grow.”
Ms Pelham highlighted her long-standing commitment to service, from her early work to supporting Grenfell survivors through a community cookbook, and said Ms Markle had “proved time and time again” her empathy and made those she met “feel valued”.
But not everyone is convinced by the branding of Markle’s latest effort.
“Mr. Markle has consistently leaned toward the moniker ‘entrepreneur’ or ‘founder,'” Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital, although he noted that no track record is technically required to qualify for the title.
Still, branding experts argued that credibility depends on continued success. Citing the uneven coverage surrounding As Ever and the lack of continuity in her business, Eldridge pointed to her stagnant acting career and unrenewed Netflix projects.
“For someone who talks a lot about architecture, her record seems more consistent with demolition.”
Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube’s Kinsey Schofield’s Unfiltered, said Markle and Prince Harry’s plans to return to Australia felt more commercial than royal.
“Prince Harry will appear as a keynote speaker at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit, which focuses on mental health in the workplace. At the same time, Meghan has been positioned as the centerpiece attraction at the luxury women’s resort at InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, where guests pay for intimate dinners and conversations with her, and promotional materials highlight everything from her acting career on Suits to her podcast Archetype.” Archewell Philanthropies and her lifestyle brand As Ever. ”
“In other words, it’s essentially a very expensive girls’ weekend built around access to former actresses.”
Royal experts compared Markle and Prince Harry’s focus on commercial success to Sarah Ferguson’s similar period in the 1990s.
“When royals start attaching their titles to a long list of ventures and paid appearances, it can seem more like desperation than influence,” she says.
“Many of Meghan’s recent projects have the same energy. The reaction when Harry and Meghan return to Australia in April is unlikely to be anything like the euphoric crowds of 2018. The atmosphere is far more curious than excited, and many Australians will have only one question: Why are they here?”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard said the retreat highlights Markle’s continued fall from grace.
“Oh, what mighty men have fallen,” Chard told FOX News Digital. “Meghan is supposed to be the highlight of what appears to be a fun but mundane retreat event. Indeed, this is too low-key for Meghan and highlights her financial woes. It doesn’t seem to be a charitable event in any way.”
