Meghan Markle and Prince Harry 'heading into the hornets' nest' with Australia tour

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are "heading into the hornets' nest — covered in sticky honey" with their Australia trip, according to a royal expert.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's announcement that they will visit the country next month was met with a mixed reaction, with one royal commentator warning the couple must "have thick skin" due to feared backlash.

Harry, 41, and 44-year-old Meghan were well-received during their last visit to Australia, which was in October 2018, just months after their wedding. However, journalist Chris Riches argues this trip won't be so harmonious.

"Prince Harry and Meghan Markle think they will get a red carpet as 'welcomed Royals' when they arrive Down Under but they could be heading into the hornets' nest - covered in sticky honey. If ever there was a time for one of their faux-Royals to jet into a country that's expressed the desire to axe Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the Line of Succession, it's not now," the expert said.

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Harry and Meghan have faced challenges recently as their deal with Netflix has come to an end. The Duchess and Duke of Sussex's company, Archewell Productions, had worked with the streaming giant for years to produce programmes, including With Love, Meghan. However, the second series of this flopped with viewing figures plunging.

With speculation circulating recently that the couple are set to return to royal duties in the UK, Harry and Meghan are believed to use the trip to Australia to take part in similar, philanthropic engagements. Mr Riches, though, the opinion of the British royal family is low across the world, particularly after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest. He denies any wrongdoing.

Writing for the Express, Mr Riches added: "Australia's prime minister Anthony Albanese has told Sir Keir Starmer his government would back plans to remove Andrew from the line of royal succession where he currently sits eighth in line to be King.

"They (Meghan and Harry) scarpered off to California and bad-mouthed anyone that would help sell some books and Netflix subscriptions. They fed the US's royal obsession that's rooted in celebrity, drama, our monarchy's centuries-long stability, America's fairytale love of heroic kings, dashing princes and pure princesses — plus our countries' unique, shared history."

Chances of a third series of With Love, Meghan, even on alternative streaming platforms, are said to be unlikely. Regarding the vibe with Harry and Meghan, a Netflix insider said: "The mood in the building is 'We’re done'." Sources close to Harry and Meghan, who quit royal duties for a new life in the US in 2020, say the union between the couple and the streamer recently "has been far from a fairy tale".