Despite the smiles at the time, Meghan Markle "hated every second" touring Australia in 2018 with Prince Harry and said the visit was "pointless", royal sources claim.
The visit, a time-honoured royal tradition dating back to 1867, saw the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spend nearly two weeks in Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji just one day after announcing their first pregnancy.
At the time, the tour was hailed a success with huge crowds turning out eager to see the newlyweds.
Now former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown has spoken of Meghan's true feelings four years ago in her new royal biography The Palace Papers.
She despised the tour, she quotes a Palace worker as saying, as they visited Sydney, Melbourne, Dubbo and Queensland's Fraser Island before going to the Invictus Games.
The employee told the author: "So, Meghan must have been thrilled with it all … right? No. She apparently hated every second of it.
"She didn't understand why things were set up in that way.
"Instead of being excited when thousands of people showed up at the Opera House, it was very much like, 'What's the purpose? I don't understand this'."
Meghan didn't appear to understand the 'representational role' of the British monarchy, the Palace staffer said.
Speaking to The Times last year, another source said the former Suits actress "didn't get it" when thrilled crowds showed up to welcome her and Harry in Australia.
The insider claimed that upon seeing hordes of fans waiting outside the Sydney Opera House, Meghan said to the team: “What are they all doing here? It’s silly.”
Speculation has been mounting about whether Meghan will return to the UK in June for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Harry said he did not know if he and his family would come to Britain to mark the event in a recent interview on US TV.
However, last week it was reported that Harry’s aides are making plans for him to be by the Queen’s side to attend the Platinum Jubilee.
One source said: “Harry is certainly in favour of going, so naturally plans are being put in place for him to make the trip should he want to confirm.
“There is the issue of security and the ongoing court case which needs to be sorted out.
“Previously it was a red line for Harry but there might be a resolution in the offering.
“Everything will hinge on that, but Harry loves seeing his grandmother and wants to spend time with her and his family.”
