Harry and Meghan's Failure to 'Win People Over' in Australia Could Have Major Consequences
Harry and Meghan’s Australia visit is a make-or-break moment for their future.
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived in Australia on April 14, they had their hands full with business and philanthropic engagements. With their tour still underway, a source cautions that failing to make a favorable impression could have dire consequences for their already fragile public standing. With their Netflix partnership done and dusted, and business deals allegedly running dry, the visit amounts to a high-stakes moment, a final chance to roll the dice on their future.
Speaking to InTouch, the insider revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly determined to win over the people on their four-day visit. They said, "It's no secret these sorts of tours, where they [Harry and Markle] play themselves up like they're still working royals, infuriate Prince William, so they're really poking the bear with this. People are already whispering that there will be consequences from his [William's] end, so the stakes are very high." As Page Six reported, Exit Wealth Advisors managing partner Ted Jenkin claimed that Harry and Markle could earn $2 million from speaking engagements, $3.5 million from sponsorships and brand deals, and $4.5 million from media.
That being said, if the million-dollar deals don't pay off, not only will Harry and Markle be left 'humiliated,' but they'll have made things worse with Harry's family for nothing. This very fear has allegedly become a pain point for the Duke and Duchess, who are said to be under 'intense pressure' to keep up. "Australia is a core Commonwealth territory. If it doesn't land, it will be an undeniable defeat," warned the source. For her part, Markle is trying her best to regain her footing with the public, even making a special appearance as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia's season 18 episode.
Meanwhile, as the insider puts it, Harry and Markle are trying their best "to win people over, but there's no guarantee it will work." As for their 'make or break' trip, their visit to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne has already generated criticism from experts. Body language specialist Dr. Louise Mahler analyzed the couple's entrance and their mingling with the public, telling The Mirror, "The domestic Goddess act does not cut it with me." She further sneered, "Meghan grabs hold of Harry's upper arm and hangs on like a tiny helpless waif, reaching out shyly with half an arm to greet others, like a retiring introvert overcome by adoration."
To add insult to injury, criticism persisted even when Markle served lunch at a women's refuge. In a cutting assessment, body language expert, Dr. Lillian Glass, slammed, "She [Markle] appears to be elated that she is back in the public eye with a crowd of people looking at her, even though they were practically all children who had no clue who she was or why she was there." According to the expert, Harry and Markle's repeated 'over-the-top' gestures felt 'unnerving and disturbing,' considering the vulnerable nature of the people they were meeting.
