'Moot point': Harry and Meghan hit back at petition calling for no taxpayer money to go to Australian tour

The upcoming 'private' tour of Australia by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hasn't even begun but it seems Aussies have very strong views about who should foot the bill.

A petition calling for no taxpayers' money to be contributed to what is essentially a private trip has garnered more than 35,000 signatures, and has now caught the attention of Harry and Meghan themselves.

This has even led a spokesperson for the royal couple to speak out, calling it a 'moot point' while arguing 35,000 signatures was hardly a dent, considering Australia's population.

The "No Taxpayer-Funding or Official Support for Harry & Meghan's Private Visit to Australia!" petition on Change.org was actually started back in November 2025, when rumours first surfaced that the couple, who stepped down from royal life in 2020, were planning a trip down under.

The petition was started by a group called Beyond Australia, and as at this morning had 35,799 verified signatures.

"Prince Harry and Meghan are visiting Australia in April 2026. As this is a private visit, Australian taxpayers must not fund security, logistics or government coordination," the petition says.

"Since stepping down from royal duties in 2020, they no longer represent the Crown and now operate private commercial ventures based in the United States."

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The petition points out the visit includes media, business and private engagements, with the Duchess slated to attend the Her Best Life event at Coogee, where tickets cost $2699 to $3199 per person.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry will speak at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne, where tickets start at $1978.

"These activities are private and commercial and must be treated strictly as a private visit," the petition continued.

"At a time when Australians are facing significant cost-of-living pressures, including rising grocery bills, fuel prices, mortgage stress driven by interest rate hikes, and increasing energy costs, public resources must be used responsibly and applied fairly, without special treatment for high-profile individuals."

The petition has caught the eye of the Montecito-based pair, with a representative of the couple weighing in.

"It's a moot point. The trip is being funded privately, so I'm not sure what this petition hopes to achieve," a rep for the couple said, according to the Daily Mail.

"If you wanted to dive into the ridiculousness of this petition as an agenda for spreading misinformation, then one could equally hypothesise that there are approximately 26.5 million Australians who haven't signed it, who must therefore agree with the taxpayer picking up the tab for their visit.

"Of course, that is another equally stupid assertion to make."

Australia's population as at 2025 was 27.7 million, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see what sort of turnout the couple receives from the public during what will be there first time in Australia since October 2018.

That visit was the couple's first royal tour since their wedding six months before. It was marked by the announcement the couple was expecting their first child, Prince Archie, and allegations Meghan did not enjoy the experience.

According to Tina Brown's 2022 book The Palace Papers, Meghan Markle reportedly "hated every second" of the tour and found it "pointless", despite its success.

Brown alleged the Duchess did not understand the purpose of traditional meet-and-greets, including the one outside Sydney's iconic Opera House.

Another 2022 book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, alleged Meghan complained loudly during the walkabout, reportedly saying, "I can't believe I'm not being paid for this".

The couple has since monetised their position as non-working royals, signing major deals including one with Netflix, which reportedly earned them about AUD$150 million.

It included the 2022 docuseries Harry & Meghan, and less successful offerings such as the lifestyle show With Love, Meghan.

They have since signed a 'first-look' deal with the streaming giant and are said to be moving towards producing scripted shows.

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