Meghan Markle has spoken publicly after her recent trip to Australia with husband Prince Harry drew intense criticism and was labelled a “faux royal” tour.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex travelled to Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra in late April for a series of engagements where they mixed charity work with commercial interests.
While thousands of fans turned out to welcome the couple and photograph their appearances, critics argued their bid to capitalise on the visit marred the experience.
After four days galivanting across the east coast, the pair jetted back to their mansion home in Montecito, California.
Speaking to Australian Women’s Weekly after their return to the states, Ms Markle heaped praise on Australia despite the frosty reception.
“My husband and I have such an affinity for Australia. I said to him the day we were flying out.” she told the publication.
“The only thing better than Australia are Australians.”
The 44-year-old also spoke about the outfits she wore throughout the Aussie excursion, but didn’t respond to the uproar over some of her fashion choices.
“I love being able to wear local designers and celebrate the craftsmanship that’s happening in whatever region I’m travelling to,” she said.
“I really focused on smaller labels, female-owned brands, up-and-coming designers, and brands with purpose. I have so much fun personally selecting pieces, and I was really happy to be able to do it again for this trip.”
Her fashion choices fuelled backlash after Ms Markle shared photos of the outfits she wore during charity engagements to online shopping app OneOff.
The platform, which provides shoppers with direct links to buy clothing worn by high-profile figures, is understood to give the Duchess a cut of any resulting sales, according to Mirror.
Dozens of looks from her Aussie tour appeared on the app, but one upload in particular ignited public uproar.
The upload featured a photo of the Duchess during a sombre visit to Bondi Beach to meet with some of the heroes of the deadly massage on December 14.
The decision to promote the outfit she wore to a heart breaking event shocked royal commentators who labelled it inappropriate.
The Duchess’s candid interview comes after an inside source revealed the Duke and Duchess are said to be planning another ‘royal-style’ tour, but this time in Africa.
“They’re not calling it a royal tour, but that’s exactly how it’s being designed,” the insider told royal expert Rob Shuter.
“Africa is the focus — and the scope is big. Think Commonwealth-level visibility without the royal stamp.”
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