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By Alasdair Pal<\/p>\n
SYDNEY, April 14 (Reuters) – Britain’s Prince Harry and wife Meghan landed in Australia on Tuesday for a four-day visit with engagements covering sport, mental health and veterans’ \u200caffairs.<\/p>\n
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began their trip at the Royal Children\u2019s Hospital in \u200cMelbourne, where they took part in an activity in the hospital’s therapeutic garden spaces.<\/p>\n
“It was a genuinely meaningful visit for our \u200bstaff and for the young people receiving care,” said Dr Peter Steer, the hospital’s CEO.<\/p>\n
Harry, wearing a navy suit and white shirt, spoke to children and posed for photographs with patients in the foyer of the hospital, calling one of the handmade signs welcoming the couple “beautiful”.<\/p>\n
Meghan, who wore a matching A$1,250 ($885) navy dress by \u200cSydney-based designer Karen Gee, later helped serve \u2060food at a women’s domestic violence shelter in the city.<\/p>\n
The Sussexes stepped down as working members of the British royal family and moved to the U.S. in \u20602020, citing a desire to be financially independent and to escape what they characterised as media intrusion into their private lives.<\/p>\n
They last visited Australia in 2018 while still working royals, announcing Meghan’s first pregnancy hours after arriving \u200bin \u200bSydney.<\/p>\n
MEGHAN TO LEAD WELLNESS RETREAT<\/p>\n
Their latest visit has captured \u200bpublic attention in Australia, where Britain’s King Charles \u200cis the head of state, though a sizeable minority supports becoming a republic.<\/p>\n
But there was little sign of the ecstatic reception that greeted them on the 2018 trip. Television networks aired footage that they said showed the couple arriving in Melbourne on a commercial flight from Los Angeles, before being taken from the tarmac in a vehicle convoy.<\/p>\n
The couple’s travel is being privately funded, though local media reported some \u200cpolicing costs associated with the visit would be paid by \u200bAustralian taxpayers, sparking a protest petition signed by more than \u200b45,000 people.<\/p>\n
The couple will travel to the \u200bcapital, Canberra, on Wednesday to meet military veterans, attend a mental health summit in \u200cMelbourne on Thursday and round off the \u200bjoint leg of their trip \u200bwith sailing and rugby events in Sydney on Friday.<\/p>\n
In contrast to their previous visit, the Sussexes will also undertake commercial activities while in Australia, with Meghan remaining in the country to \u200bhost a wellness retreat at a \u200cluxury beachside hotel in Sydney over the weekend.<\/p>\n
Tickets for the event, which includes yoga, manifestation \u200band sound healing, start at A$2,699 ($1,912) per person.<\/p>\n
($1 = 1.4114 Australian dollars)<\/p>\n
(Reporting by Alasdair Pal \u200bin Sydney; Editing by Kate Mayberry and Thomas Derpinghaus)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n