'She can't wait': Meghan's call to Jackie O's manager ahead of exclusive Sydney event

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex says she "can't wait" to visit Sydney for her exclusive women's retreat.

The royal is set to headline the Her Best Life event later this month, where tickets start at $2699.

Gemma O'Neill, the co-host of the event and manager of radio star Jackie O Henderson, has revealed details of a last-minute call with the royal.

Watch the video above.

In a video shared to Instagram, O'Neill revealed she had just wrapped a Zoom with the duchess, describing her as "so divine" and saying she was unexpectedly down-to-earth.

"I've literally just got off a Zoom with Meghan," O'Neill said.

"It couldn't have been any more kind of real. I just immediately loved chatting to her."

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According to O'Neill, the royal is keen to keep things informal when she takes the stage.

"She was like, 'let's just have a real chat, woman to woman, let's just go for it,'" she said.

The retreat, next week at the InterContinental on Coogee Beach, will feature Meghan as the headliner for an in-conversation session, where she will engage in a "raw and vulnerable" discussions and will also join a gala dinner.

It will be Meghan's first visit to Australia in eight years, with Prince Harry also travelling Down Under.

The royal couple is also expected to "take part in a number of private, business, and philanthropic engagements", their spokesperson said last month.

'Early bird' tickets to the retreat with Meghan started at $2699, while the VIP experience costs $3199 per person.

The VIP ticket includes a seat at a table in the front two rows for the gala dinner with the duchess and a group table photo with Meghan.

Other events across the retreat – which don't include the duchess – include yoga and meditation, as well as a "powerful women's session" with a psychologist.

While the duchess' exact role at the retreat remains undefined, O'Neill suggested attendees can expect something more "real" than usual.

"I know she's really looking forward to being in a room with our community and great women," she said.

When speaking about the collaboration earlier this year, O'Neill said she was "beside" herself.

"I have admired this woman and what she has endured, how she's risen above it and how she has demonstrated how a woman can be pushed down and she can still rise," she said.

"That person is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. I can't believe I am saying those words.

"There is no one more shocked than me."

The former Suits star has hosted two podcasts since stepping back from life as a working royal with Prince Harry in 2020.

Her first was Archetypes, with Spotify in 2022, which was axed after one 12-episode season.

Then came eight episodes of Meghan's "girl talk" business-focused offering, Confessions of a Female Founder in 2025, which aligns closely with her upcoming commitment.

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