A dispute over security arrangements has erupted between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s media team and several news outlets during their four-day tour of Australia. The row began after the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, and Sky News Australia reported on operational planning notes that were originally shared under a strict embargo.
The Sussexes’ PR team accused the outlets of compromising security by publishing sensitive details five days early. In response, they announced they would no longer share itineraries for the remainder of the trip. “Media from the Daily Mail, The Daily Mirror, and Sky News Australia unfortunately reported on sensitive embargoed information, complicating and compromising security arrangements,” a spokesperson said.
The Daily Mail initially published a story referencing “under-wraps details” from a “leaked document,” which included stops in Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney. The article was later taken down, though a headline remained visible. Sky News Australia rejected the claim, stating it had not received any information under embargo and that the details were already in the public domain.
The Sussex team later acknowledged that neither Sky nor the Mirror were “formally bound” by the embargo but criticised them for “disregard for basic journalistic ethics.” When the couple arrived in Melbourne, they avoided waiting media by using a side door, leaving journalists disappointed. The Daily Mail reported exclusively seeing the couple’s security team and luggage.
