Meghan Markle's Aussie Visit: Business or Royal Duty?

0:00From Hollywood to the world, this is entertainment and celebrity news today. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are planning a trip to Australia next month for private business and charity events. Meghan will headline a dinner speech at a women-only weekend retreat in Sydney on April 17th. It's drawing attention as their first visit back since they stepped away from royal duties. This marks a big change from their 2018 official royal tour when they represented the British monarchy across the country. Now, the couple is going in a private capacity with some solo appearances for Meghan and joint events together. Critics and royal circles are comparing Meghan to Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York. They're calling her Sarah, 2.0 for what they see as caching in on her past royal connections through paid speaking gigs, much like Ferguson. 10 years ago, observers say these trips blur the lines between personal business and the official royal work they once did. The backlash highlights ongoing tensions since the couple left their senior royal roles in 2020.

1:03Event organizers are pushing back hard, praising Meghan's strength under scrutiny. They say she's joining mainly due to a mutual friend and her support for the retreats goals on women's resilience. The Daily News Now is grateful to our sponsor for today's episode. Relax deeper, reset faster, comfort you can hear. S-O-L-L-I, solelypillow.com