'Royals for hire': Inside Harry and Meghan's tightly-controlled new life

OPINION – – We were strictly told 'no photos' and 'phones away' and reminded of the rules, again, moments before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their way into the large conference room at the first of their two ticketed speaking engagements of the Australian tour.

Surprisingly there was no formal announcement of their arrival, but the second Prince Harry and Meghan walked in there was loud applause and the 'no phone' rule was quickly broken by many – promoting minders to rush in and reinforce the rules.

With a brief wave at the audience, and a kiss and a hug to those who guided the couple to their table, it was a glimpse into Prince Harry and Meghan's post-working royal lives where highly-lucrative corporate speaking gigs are the norm.

Prince Harry was the keynote speaker at the InterEdge summit, where he addressed the room of business leaders on the importance of psychologically safe, supportive and high‑performing workplaces.

Tickets were priced at up to $2,400 per person for the platinum experience, while those who wanted to dial in online could have done so for $400. All ticket proceeds went to Lifeline Narm, funding critical support services in Melbourne.

Prince Harry is not believed to have been paid for his appearance, the Press Association reported.

Nor was Meghan given a fee for her star appearance on MasterChef Australia, which was filmed on Wednesday as Harry was doing community-focused engagements connected with mental health and the Armed Forces.

But both instances are prime examples of the sharp divide between the Sussexes and the royal family they left behind six years ago.

Prince Harry and Meghan are royals for hire, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Their presence can bring extraordinary publicity to issues some might otherwise ignore.

The responsibility is on the couple to be careful in where they give their time and how their enormous power and influence is used.

Since stepping back in 2020 for a life of financial independence, Prince Harry and Meghan have struck deals with Netflix and Spotify and have secured private paid gigs allowing them to live in the US with their two children, free from the palace shackles.

Earning a wage, whilst representing the Crown, is not the done thing as Queen Elizabeth II made clear when Harry and Meghan initially asked for a half-in, half-out approach.

So, they left and got real jobs. But Harry and Meghan were clear they were still intent on serving, in their own way.

"We can all live a life of service," their exit statement proclaimed.

"Service is universal."

On Wednesday, Prince Harry spoke about rejecting his life of service soon after the death of his mother.

He also made numerous references his first ever paid corporate job which he got soon after leaving the UK with Meghan.

In March, 2021, the duke was made chief impact officer at BetterUp, a $5 billion Silicon Valley life coaching start-up, offering life coaching and mental health for businesses.

His salary was never made public but there were reports at the time he could have commanded anything from $900,000 to more than $3.5 million a year.

While Harry might not have been paid for the Melbourne event, those in the room certainly did.

And they expected something decent for their money, more than just a fancy lunch and seats up the front.

Prince Harry, ever the professional, knew what to say. The duke delivered the goods by being brutally honest about his past struggles across his 15-minute keynote address.

Speaking about the death of Diana, when he was just a child, he said: "Grief does not disappear because we ignore it.

"Experiencing that as a kid while in a goldfish bowl under constant surveillance, yes, that will have its challenges. And without purpose, it can break you."

And then he went further when asked about "service and duty" during a brief question and answer session with former politician Brendan Nelson.

"After my mum died just before my 13th birthday I was like: 'I don't want this job. I don't want this role – wherever this is headed, I don't like it.

"It killed my mum and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years.

"Eventually I realised – well, hang on, if there was somebody else in this position, how would they be making the most of this platform and this ability and the resources that come with it to make a difference in the world?

Prince Harry and Meghan visited Swinburne University for another event connected with mental health on Wednesday.

"And also, what would my mum want me to do? And that really changed my own perspective."

Those struggles followed Harry into adulthood and he felt the pressure to "show up pretending everything was ok, so as not to let anyone down".

"For many years I was numb to it, and perhaps that was easier then, but I also didn't yet have the tools to deal with it," he continued.

"There have been many times when I've felt overwhelmed.

"Times when I've felt lost, betrayed, or completely powerless."

The Sussexes walked along the Yarra River to start their final day in Melbourne.

Prince Harry's brutal honesty not only showed his vulnerability but aided the cause he was there to support: encouraging people to seek help if they needed it.

Becoming a father, Harry said, "changed the way I saw all of this".

Asking for help, Harry said, "isn't a weakness... It's very much a form of strength".

"When a parent is overwhelmed, children feel it. When someone is supported, families feel it."

His honesty guaranteed the story would be reported on by media outlets around the world.

Prince Harry and Meghan are royals for hire, using their platform for good and to make money.

As for Meghan, the duchess watched on dutifully as Prince Harry poured his heart out.

Her gaze was firmly focused on Harry on stage and she warmly embraced him when he re-joined her at the table before making a swift exit.

As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stood up to leave, so too did the entire room – clapping and photographing the couple as they smiled, Meghan offering a little wave.

And with that they were gone, onto Sydney for the fourth and final day of the non-royal tour.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be on Sydney Harbour today for an Invictus Australia sail ride.

On the program for today is a boat ride on the harbour with team Invictus Australia in support of its bid to bring the Invictus Games back in 2031. The event was held in Sydney in 2018 during Prince Harry and Meghan's first visit here.

In the evening, the couple will visit Allianz Stadium to watch the New South Wales Waratahs take on Moana Pasifika, later meeting the players in the dressing room.

In between the boat ride and the football, Meghan is expected to appear at a women's only retreat hosted by Her Best Life podcast.

Tickets range from $2699, while the VIP experience costs $3199 and includes a group photo with the duchess.

Meghan is being paid but sources have said insisted it is a nominal fee.

When the duchess' attendance was announced by Gemma O'Neill, she said: "I'm going to answer probably something that I think would feel fairly obvious: 'Oh it must be costing you a fortune to have Meghan come to your event'

"Um, no guys, I think you all know, the community knows, I don't have that kind of money guys."

O'Neill insisted Meghan was "doing this as a favour to our mutual friend".

That "mutual friend" is Markus Anderson, who connected the duchess and O'Neill, and is a consultant for Soho House.

There has been speculation Meghan travelled Down Under now in support of Soho House's Australian expansion. The elite members club has 40 locations around the world including in London and New York and last year Soho House confirmed it was looking to open in Melbourne and in Sydney "beyond 2027".

Meghan is scheduled to appear at the retreat at Coogee from 4.30pm, speak about her life and career at the gala dinner, before going to the football – the final engagement before they return to California.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have used their time in Australia to promote causes they support alongside money-making ventures.

The event is closed to the media but, as most things she is connected to, content will likely be used for some form of self-promotion at a later date.

Prince Harry and Meghan represent the new breed of money-making royals and this is their way of doing service.

And they've made no apologies about it.

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