The Sussexes’ planned visit to Australia has indeed generated significant controversy and public debate in recent weeks. As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle prepare for what many are calling a “faux” or “quasi-royal tour” in mid-April 2026 — focused on business, philanthropic, and personal engagements rather than official royal duties — reactions in Australia have been mixed at best, with notable pushback from segments of the public and media.

Online petitions have emerged demanding no taxpayer funding or official government support for the trip, arguing that the couple no longer represents the Crown after stepping back from senior royal roles in 2020. Critics, including commentators on platforms like Sky News Australia, have described the sentiment as “noticeably cooled” compared to the warm welcome they received during their 2018 official tour. Royal experts have pointed out that years of public criticism toward the royal family from the Sussexes have contributed to this shift, with some Australians viewing the visit as an unnecessary or self-promotional endeavor.

Amid this growing backlash, attention has inevitably turned to Buckingham Palace and King Charles III’s stance. Reports from royal commentators, including Ingrid Seward, indicate that the King has effectively distanced himself from the couple’s independent activities. Seward has stated that Charles has likely “washed his hands” of Harry and Meghan, prioritizing other pressing matters — such as his health, royal duties, and broader Commonwealth responsibilities — over engaging with or commenting on their plans. She emphasized that the monarch has “plenty of other things to worry about” and views their actions as something they can pursue “up to a point” without his involvement.

While sensational headlines have circulated online claiming a dramatic “brutal 4-word response” from King Charles specifically tied to the Australia tour controversy, no credible reports from March 2026 link such a quote directly to this situation. Past instances of reported four-word remarks from Charles (such as “I’m not a bank” in reference to financial disputes years ago, or other brief comments in different contexts) have been resurfaced or repurposed in clickbait-style coverage, but they do not appear connected to the current tour backlash. Palace sources and experts suggest the King’s approach remains one of non-engagement rather than public confrontation.

The tour proceeds as planned, but it underscores the ongoing tensions within the royal family and the challenges the Sussexes face in maintaining relevance and positive reception abroad without official backing. Whether the visit ultimately wins over skeptics or amplifies divisions remains to be seen as the couple arrives Down Under.

King Charles’ brutal four-word response to Prince Harry complaint spotted by lip reader

Back to many years ago, After a teenage Prince Harry regretted his unwise holiday decision, he got zero sympathy from his father and older brother William

Poor Harry was suffering as they rode the ski lift (Image: Getty)

On his first holiday with his father and brother following the sudden, traumatising death of his mother Princess Diana, Prince Harry made the kind of mistake that any 13-year-old boy could make, opting for style over practicality and wearing his favourite baseball cap on the chilly slopes of an exclusive Rocky Mountains ski resort. But unlike most 13-year-olds, Harry’s mistake played out in full view of the world’s media, with cameras capturing the moment during what was already an intensely emotional period for the young royal. And now, thanks to a team of expert lip-readers who have pored over archive footage of that pivotal moment in his life, we can learn exactly what was said that day too.

Speaking on Channel 5’s Lip-Reading the Royals: What Are They Really Saying?, forensic lip-reader Nicola Hickling revealed the conversation Harry and Prince William had with their father the King — then the Prince of Wales — as a ski lift ferried them to the top of the mountain. She says that Harry appeared to tell his father “I’m so cold.” But rather than trying to comfort Harry, Charles instead turned to William and, according to Nicola, says: “He has no sense. Of course it’s bloody cold. We’re in the snow.”

Then William, seemingly speaking to Charles as if his brother wasn’t there, appears to ask: “Didn’t he bring a spare hat?”

According to Nicola, Charles’s callous response was: “He wanted to wear that cap. I told him he was mad and that it’s very cold. He doesn’t make it easy for himself” at which point William came out with his own dismissive remark: “Let him crack on. He will learn. He will probably get frostbite.”

Charles appears to conclude the conversation by coldly saying: “Perhaps.”

Commenting on the lip-reader’s analysis, actress Nina Wadia says: “Well of course style is more important than practicality – he’s a teenage boy! Of course he’s going to wear a baseball cap on a ski lift and then complain that it’s cold.”

She adds: “I love the fact that his brother and his father are ripping into him.”

Charles waved to the crowds as Harry sulked (Image: Getty)

Many years later, William would have the opposite problem when he found himself somewhat overdressed for the 41ºC (106F) heat outside the iconic Taj Mahal in India, offering a striking contrast to the earlier scene on the freezing slopes.

The lip-readers believe that the Prince complained to his wife, Princess Catherine, about how hot it was, telling her that he wished he hadn’t worn his rather formal blue sports jacket during the visit.

When Catherine suggested he might slip it off, William appeared to respond: “Are kidding? I don’t think anything I wear would cool me down.”

T

ina comments that these revealing exchanges help to humanise the royals, making it clear that underneath all the pomp and ceremony, they are just like the rest of us.

The coverage of the royals’ holiday in British Columbia is featured on Episode 4 of Lip-Reading the Royals, which airs at 8pm on Saturday March 21.