‘Even I’m shocked’: Real reason for Meghan’s Australia trip revealed
Meghan Markle has been announced as a headline guest at a luxury Sydney retreat organised by Jackie 'O' Henderson's company, Besties - but tickets will set fans back a jaw-dropping amount.
Meghan Markle has been confirmed as the headline guest at a $3,000-a-ticket women’s retreat organised by Jackie ‘O’Henderson’s events company, Besties.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, will appear as a guest speaker at the three-day Her Best Life Retreat in Sydney next month when she and Prince Harry return to Australia for the first time since 2018.
The luxury retreat will be held at the InterContinental Hotel at Coogee Beach and promises guests “a gala dinner featuring an in-person conversation with Meghan”, and an opportunity for “powerful conversations, relaxation, laughter and unforgettable experiences”.
Early Bird tickets will set fans back $2,699 and include two nights at the five-star hotel, the gala dinner, meals and alcohol, as well as access to speaker sessions and wellness activities.
Meanwhile, those who fork out $3,199 for VIP tickets will get a “group table photo” with Meghan and be seated in the front two rows for the gala dinner.
The retreat will take place from April 17 to 19 and is limited to just 300 people.
Gemma O’Neill, who co-founded Besties with Jackie O in 2023, said “there’s no one more shocked than me” that Meghan would headline the event.
“I have admired this woman and what she has endured, how she’s risen above it, and how she has demonstrated that a woman can be pushed down and she can still rise,” she said.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will travel to Australia next month. (Picture: Emmanuel Osodi, Getty Images)
“I know what you’re all thinking because I’m thinking the same thing. How has this incredible woman gone from Oprah to talking on stage with little old me?”
While O’Neill will be heavily involved with the retreat, Henderson stepped away from the Besties brand and podcast last month, so it is unclear whether she will be in attendance.
The announcement comes at a tumultuous time for Henderson following the end of the Kyle and Jackie O Show after 22 years.
It was confirmed by ARN last week that the KIIS FM show would be pulled from the airwaves after Henderson’s on-air row with co-host Kyle Sandilands left her in tears.
Sandilands has also been pulled off-air for an “act of serious misconduct”, with ARN arguing he was in breach of his $100 million contract.
Gwyneth Paltrow appeared at a Besties event with Jackie O in 2023. (Picture: Supplied)
Meghan’s headline spot at the Her Best Life retreat follows in the footsteps of Gwyneth Paltrow, who made a similar appearance with Henderson and O’Neill at a Besties event in 2023.
Following the announcement, Jackie O congratulated her manager on the booking, writing on Instagram: “Incredible Gem. Definitely living your best life.”
Paltrow is understood to have pocketed a fee between $150,000 and $500,000 during her visit.
As well as travelling to Sydney, Meghan and Harry are also expected to visit Melbourne for “private, business and philanthropic engagements”.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, will appear at the InterEdge Summit as a keynote speaker on mental health in the workplace.
The two-day summit will bring together “leaders, policymakers, practitioners and advocates” to “explore practical strategies for creating psychologically safe, mentally healthy and high-performing workplaces”.
Tickets cost up to $2,378, with all proceeds going to the Lifeline Narrm charity’s 24/7 support services.
It will be the Sussexes’ first visit Down Under since 2018, when they visited Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga in their first official royal tour as a married couple.
This time, however, the Sussexes will be visiting as private citizens.
