What’s The Story Behind Meghan Markle’s Australian Wellness Retreat?
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24 minutes ago
The Sussexes have gone down under – but why?
While social media commenters and journalistic commentators love to discuss what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can’t do, there’s one skill we should all agree they have mastered: making headlines.
Despite flopped deals with Penguin Random House, Spotify, Netflix and, arguably, Great Britain herself, it’s tricky to claim we’re not interested in the Sussexes. Their latest excursion is proof: countless headlines have spilled out of every appearance the couple have made on their not-royal-tour of Australia. Stops include a children’s hospital, a women’s homeless charity and war memorials – all privately funded, in contrast to the last time they went down under in 2018, back when they were still Royal Highnesses.
But it’s Meghan’s wellness festival that has sparked the most outrage. Below, we’ve broken down the truth behind the headlines.
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Meghan Markle & Sydney’s Her Best Life Retreat: What’s The Story?
Firstly, Meghan Markle is not running a wellness festival – she is the headline speaker at Her Best Life Retreat, a festival created by the hosts of the Australian podcast of the same name, which is itself in a spot of hot water.
Her Best Life is co-hosted by friends Gemma O’Neill and radio personality Jackie Henderson, popularly known as Jackie O. The weekly podcast delves into topics spanning careers, sex and relationships – but, as of 31 March, is on hiatus: Jackie revealed she would be stepping back in February 2026, saying she has reached ‘the end of the road’ with regards to sharing details about her private life. While Gemma kept things ticking over for a few more episodes, she put the podcast on ice at the end of March.
The move heralded a whirlwind of controversy for Jackie, after her long-term professional relationship with Kyle Sandilands deteriorated following a live on-air clash on 20 February. She walked out of the studio, and the whole kerfuffle led to the cancellation of their radio show on KIIS FM, The Kyle and Jackie O Show, which was part of a 10-year, $100 million AUD deal signed in 2023. ARN, the company behind KIIS FM, terminated the deal; meanwhile Jackie has launched legal proceedings, alleging wrongful termination and seeking $82 million AUD in compensation.
This is the backdrop for the Her Best Life Retreat, which Meghan has been tied to since March, coinciding with the couple’s already firmed-up plans to be in Australia. Described as ‘a girls’ weekend like no other’ and ‘a place for women to find their joy’, tickets start from $2,699 AUD, rising to $3,199 AUD for a VIP ticket (that’s around £1,429 and £1,694 respectively).
These eye-wateringly expensive tickets, capped at 300 people, include two nights at the swish InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, a beach resort in a coastal suburb of the Aussie city, as well as meals, a coaching session with therapist Dr Justine Corry, yoga and sound healing sessions, a disco night and an all-inclusive gala dinner. Standard tickets ask guests to share a twin room, while VIP tickets include a private room, a group table photo with Meghan (we assume snapped at the gala dinner) and a goodie bag.
Running Friday 17 to Sunday 19 April, as the big weekend approaches, rumours have swirled that Meghan herself has asked Jackie O not to attend for fear of being overshadowed – but it seems these rumours don’t hold much water. On Sunday, Gemma, who will definitely be in attendance, took to Instagram to share an update.
‘I’ve literally just got off a Zoom with Meghan,’ Gemma said, smiling. ‘It couldn’t have been any more real, and she was just so divine, so beautiful. I just immediately loved chatting to her. She was just amazing, and I just adore her already, and I’m so excited for those who are joining us in our community next weekend to have the opportunity to experience how brilliant she is as well.
‘I know she is really looking forward to it and she can’t wait to be in a room with our community and great women,’ Gemma added. ‘She was just like, “let’s just have real chat. Let’s just, woman-to-woman, let’s just go for it”.
‘I just have to say, I’m already her biggest fan,’ Gemma added, laughing.
This is all well and good, but it’s the four-figure price tag that has created dismay. ‘Having to flog $3,000 tickets to a wellness retreat looks quite pointless in the current world climate. It’s tin-eared,’ royals researcher and Flinders University associate professor Giselle Bastin tells The Guardian.
It’s also worth noting Meghan won’t be there for the whole weekend; she is tipped to appear at the Super Rugby match at Allianz Stadium with a 7.30pm kick-off, the same night her gala dinner commences at 5pm – tight turnaround.
Locals don’t seem best pleased about the Sussex’s tour either, with the Sydney Morning Herald publishing a piece titled ‘Australia was good to Harry and Meghan. Now they want to use us as an ATM’. And while the Australia tour is indeed privately funded, the duo’s security detail will be taxpayer funded – and reports suggest the fee will reach six figures for the four-day trip.
There is a double standard here, though: Prince Harry’s appearance at InterEdge’s ‘psychosocial safety’ summit today (Thursday 16 April) – where tickets start from $498 to attend virtually, rising to $2,378.65 for platinum tickets – have hardly made any headlines at all. It’s not controversial to say the Prince has led an unconventional career; nevertheless he is pegged to speak on workplace mental health.
In both cases, Harry and Meghan are speakers at events they are unconnected to – and while we are sure they command a high fee, they won’t be directly benefitting from the four-figure tickets guest need to see them.
The cheaper way to catch a glimpse of Megan Markle up close? Tune into her surprise appearance on season 18 of MasterChef Australia – then you need only shell out for the VPN.
