Meghan Markle has sparked criticism after attending a high-priced women's wellness retreat in Sydney for just two hours, despite guests paying up to $3,199 for the weekend. The Duchess of Sussex, 44, appeared at the 'Her Best Life' retreat, dubbed 'Megstock', at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach on Saturday.
Arriving at around 5pm with Prince Harry, Meghan took part in an onstage Q&A session before leaving the resort 120 minutes later in a Range Rover. Reports suggest she was paid $150,000 for the appearance, which was organised by podcast hosts Gemma O'Neill and Jackie Henderson.
During the Q&A, Meghan spoke about the challenges of public life, describing it as 'very hard', and reflected on 'amazing moments' since meeting Harry in 2016, including their marriage and children. However, attendees expressed frustration on social media over the brevity of her visit.
One user wrote: 'Why did Meghan Markle not even share a meal with women who had paid $3000 to spend “retreat” time with her? How is that kind?' Another said: 'She didn’t go down there to spend time with any of those people, just to get a few PR photos and collect her share of the takings.'
A representative for Meghan clarified that her limited appearance was always planned, stating: 'Meghan was always confirmed only to attend the retreat for her Q&A portion of the weekend. She had a lovely time sitting down and talking to Gemma in front of such an engaging audience.'
