Australians are rallying behind a new petition that calls for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to cover their own expenses during their upcoming visit to the country, which some are dubbing a ‘quasi-royal tour.’ This initiative has quickly gained traction, collecting thousands of signatures in a short span of time.

Scheduled for next month, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s trip to Australia has already sparked a debate over who should foot the bill for their security and logistics. The advocacy group Beyond Australia is at the forefront, urging the Australian government to refrain from spending taxpayer money on the couple’s visit.

The petition, hosted on Change.org and titled “No Taxpayer-Funding or Official Support for Harry and Meghan’s Private Visit to Australia,” has garnered an impressive 32,715 signatures by this evening.

In their campaign, Beyond Australia emphasized that the couple’s activities in the country are both private and commercial, and should therefore be treated as such. They stressed the importance of prioritizing public resources for the nation’s pressing needs.

“At a time when Australians face significant cost-of-living pressures, including rising grocery bills, fuel prices, and mortgage stress due to interest rate hikes, it is crucial that public funds are used responsibly,” the group stated. “Special treatment for high-profile individuals should not come at the expense of fairness.”

Uncertainty remains over whether taxpayer money will be used to fund Harry and Meghan’s visit, as both federal and state governments have yet to confirm who will bear the cost of their protection during their stay.

However, it has since been understood that the Sussexes’ trip to Australia is being privately funded.

Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, previously visited Australia in 2018 when they were both senior working members of the Royal Family. 

The couple had a police escort wherever they went, and also stayed at the Governor-General’s residence, which overlooks the world-famous Sydney Harbour. 

The recent petition comes after an Australian ‘ultimate girls’ weekend’, where Meghan was billed as the star guest, encountered more trouble in recent days. 

Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan during their visit to Jordan last February

Meghan is appearing at a women-only event in Sydney, which is described as a ‘girls’ weekend like no other’ – but the event has been rocked by problems ever since its launch

Last week, it was revealed that the hotel’s pool and spa are not finished, and the beach below has been battling effluent ‘poop balls’ for more than two years. 

On March 19, a spokesman for the Duchess confirmed she will still be appearing at the inaugural ‘Her Best Life Retreat’ in Sydney despite setbacks.

The all-women event, dubbed ‘Meg-stock’, is set to welcome around 300 guests to the three-day luxury retreat between April 17 and 19. 

The event has sold out, with VIP ticket holders able to bag front-row seats as well as a group photo with Meghan herself at the gala at the Intercontinental Hotel.

But the establishment overlooking Sydney’s Coogee beach, which describes itself as a ‘new era of beachside elegance’, is rushing to finish works in time for the event. 

Recently, it emerged that the new infinity pool overlooking the Tasman Sea is still under construction. And the spa, bar and ‘leisure deck’ are also due to be completed next month.

One guest who stayed at the hotel last week called the refurbishment of the pool ‘a work in progress’ and a ‘blot on the view’, the Daily Mail can reveal.

And those wanting to relax on the beach below will also have concerns because, since 2024, foul-smelling balls made up of a mixture of chemicals, soap scum, cooking oil, hair and human excrement have been washing up.

A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: ‘It’s a moot point. The trip is being funded privately, so I’m not sure what this petition hopes to achieve…

‘Of course, if you wanted to dive into the ridiculousness of this petition as an agenda for spreading misinformation, then one could equally hypothesise that there are approximately 26.5 million Australians (99.98 per cent of the population) who haven’t signed it, who must therefore agree with the tax-payer picking up the tab for their visit. 

‘Of course, that is another equally stupid assertion to make but hey, why let common sense get in the way of a good story… ‘

The Daily Mail previously approached the hotel and the organisers for comment.