Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan 'royal-style' tour despite backlash in Australia

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to be eyeing another "faux-royal" tour — despite criticism following the Australia trip. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were accused of using their titles for publicity and mixing charitable engagements with commercial ones when they visited Australia this month. The backlash by some became so severe calls were made for the couple to never carry out "royal-style" tours again . But the defiant pair, who married in 2018 before leaving The Firm just two years later, are now understood to be planning a similar venture — this time across parts of Africa. It is thought Harry and Meghan will visit several large cities and carry out philanthropic projects, just as they did Down Under. "They’re not calling it a royal tour, but that’s exactly how it’s being designed. Africa is the focus, and the scope is big. Think Commonwealth-level visibility without the royal stamp. It walks like a royal tour, talks like a royal tour, and that’s the issue," a source said. The destination would be deeply personal for the Duke of Sussex , who has often described Africa as his second home. His first trip there came when he was just 13-years-old, shortly after the death of his mother, Princess Diana . Recalling the trip, the Duke of Sussex once said: "I first came [to Africa] in 1997, straight after my mum died. My dad told my brother and me to pack our bags. We were going to Africa to get away from it all." And, with this in mind, the new source told royal journalist Rob Shuter Harry has plans afoot to re-explore parts of the continent. Mr Shuter writes in his substack Naughty But Nice Harry and Meghan are likely to carry out philanthropic engagements, selected media appearances, and revenue-generating opportunities during this jaunt. But some royal commentators and members of the public questioned the nature and purpose of the Australia trip. Mum-of-two Meghan, 44, was particularly criticised when she encouraging fans to "call me Meg" . One source familiar with public reaction said: "Encouraging people to basically 'Call my Meg' is being seen by critics as a carefully curated attempt to project approachability, but it is clashing with a long-established perception of her as a multi-millionaire figure with exacting, and well-known diva standards. For some, it comes across less as genuine warmth and more as a calculated rebrand that does not entirely ring true." Speaking to RadarOnline.com , the insider added: "This kind of informality feels staged, particularly given the level of privilege and expectation that surrounds her, and that disconnect is what people are reacting to so strongly."