Now the DOG SQUAD arrives for Meghan’s ‘Her Best Life’ retreat

After a busy day, Harry and Meghan have returned to their hotel room at the InterContinental Sydney in Coogee to prepare for the final engagements of their four-day whirlwind tour.

In a few hours’ time, Meghan will meet women who have paid $3,200 for VIP photos at Her Best Life women’s retreat at the hotel.

A courier carrying a selection of Rebecca Valance dresses was seen arriving at the hotel after 2pm.

Event staff have gathered at the entrance to greet retreat guests, who are expected start arriving from 3pm before a ‘Bubbles in the Ballroom’ welcome with canapés.

Guests have been encouraged to ‘connect, mingle and ease into the weekend’.

The reception is due to continue for an hour for those who only paid for basic tickets, while lucky VIPs will break off at 4.30pm for group photos.

After this, at 5pm, guests will be invited to step into the gala dinner, prepared to experience an ‘unforgettable evening’.

Security at the hotel has also been increased with the arrival of the NSW Police Dog Squad.

Tickets for the weekend retreat start at $2699.

Those paying $3199 for the VIP experience will receive a group table photo with Meghan, along with gift bags and a premium hotel room.

Meghan is also listed to join Harry at a Super Rugby game between the NSW Waratahs and Moana Pasifika at Allianz Stadium later tonight.

It’s understood they’ll watch the game from a SCG Trust private suite alongside military and Invictus Games guests.

Up to 15,000 are expected to attend tonight’s match, while thousands more sports fans will pack the Sydney Cricket Ground next door for the AFL cross-town derby between the Sydney Swans and GWS Giants.

A trickle of guests have started to arrive, including Shauna Nep, the co-executive director of Meghan and Harry’s Archewell charity.

Gold Coast baker Megan Towner, who shares photos of her designs on social media and featured on Netflix series Zumbo’s Just Desserts, smiled as she wheeled her luggage into the venue.

Dr Justine Corry, a clinical psychologist-turned-dating coach, was also spotted outside the venue with luggage.

Her company and podcast, The Red Flag Project, works in collaboration with Friday’s event organisers Her Best Life on a dating course that empowers women.

Heart-warming-photos have emerged from Harry and Meghan’s visit on Sydney Harbour.

Before boarding a boat to sail around the harbour, the couple greeted the large crowd waiting for them at the Sydney Opera House, where they met fans and posed for selfies,

The couple stopped to chat with Joel Vanderzwan, a veteran who competed at the 2022 Invictus Games at The Hague, his wife, Alexandra, and their three children.

Photos show their daughter Charlotte dancing with Harry after Meghan urged the little girl to show off her moves.

‘Charlotte asked Meghan if she wanted to see her dance, and Meghan obliged, and as all good wives do, roped Harry in to be the prince that he is,’ Mr Vanderzwan said.

The family also presented the couple with gifts that Harry and Meghan showed off for photos – matching custome-made pairs of Invictus Australia-branded thongs – an iconic Aussie footwear.

Harry’s were emblazoned with ‘G’day Hazza’ while Meghan’s had ‘G’day Megs’.

A man wearing only beachball-patterned budgie smugglers has embraced Prince Harry amid scenes of huge fanfare on Bondi Beach.

Harry, 41, and wife Meghan Markle, 44, were greeted by dozens of fans as they visited the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club on Friday morning.

But no one was as enthusiastic as a budgie smuggler‑clad local who darted in front of the couple to record them as they moved across the sand.

He then stopped the Duke for a proper photo, with his tattooed, slightly sunburnt arm seen wrapped around his shoulder.

In true Aussie style, the man then shook Harry’s hand, gave him a friendly slap on the back and pulled him into what was probably a rather sweaty hug.

Harry and Meghan have disembarked at Cruising Yacht Club Australia in Rushcutters Bay following their sail around Sydney Harbour.

The Duke of Sussex appeared thrilled with his afternoon on the water as he grinned and waved at excited fans waiting to get a glimpse of the couple.

They walked along the wharf hand-in-hand as Harry stopped to pat and cuddle several dogs, including a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

The couple were then whisked away to a waiting car to be driven back to the InterContinental Hotel in Coogee to prepare for later engagements.

Invictus Australia chief executive Michael Hartung hopes that the positive public response to Harry and Meghan in recent days puts negativity about the visit to rest.

‘It’s really interesting seeing the duke and duchess back in Australia since 2018,’ he said.

‘The world was a different place, things were very different at that time and, there was a bit of negativity surrounding their return visit, and I think that’s all been put to rest really.

‘I think the general public can see that their hearts are in the right place, and they’re there to support good causes, like Invictus, it’s a really positive thing.’

Harry and Meghan spoke with several survivors of the Bondi terrorist attack during their visit to Bondi this morning.

They included Elon Zizer, 40, who was shot multiple times while shielding his children that night on December 14.

‘It’s an honour to meet the duke and duchess. It’s very beautiful that they’ve come and made an effort to meet us,’ he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

‘It’s very special – it makes us feel heard.’

Jessica Chapnik Kahn also survived the attack while shielding her five-year-old daughter after attending a Hanukkah party.

The greater problem in the world right now is hate. Hate is a human problem that we’re facing, a very big problem,’ she said.

‘So to highlight that, to be able to connect with them on this heart level, I think is very special.’

The couple also met with representatives from the Sydney Jewish Museum, which is opening an exhibition on the massacre.

Harry and Meghan have been escorted by police protection as they sailed around Sydney Harbour.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent several minutes shaking hands and taking selfies with adoring fans when they arrived at the Sydney Opera House, as a heavy police and private security presence watched on.

The couple then boarded a boat for a sail around the iconic harbour with Invictus Australia – similar the one they enjoyed the last time they were here in 2018 for the Invictus Games.

They were escorted by NSW Police officers, which is funded by taxpayers.

Meghan was gifted a pair of Invictus Australia-branded thongs emblazoned with G’day Megs.

Meghan and Harry were surrounded by dozens of NSW Police Officers as they made an unofficial visit to the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club.

Officers were seen keeping a close eye on the famous couple as they made their way down to the sand with 30 lifeguards and about 100 onlookers in tow.

The Public Order and Riot Squad were also in attendance.

The couple were seen taking selfies and shaking hands with fans as they made their way onto the beach, where they watched a Surf Life Saving demonstration.

Meghan was said to have pocketed up to $380,000 for her top-secret appearance on MasterChef Australia – but the truth is even more astounding.

The Daily Mail can reveal that the Duchess of Sussex was not paid a cent, and didn’t even promote her As Ever food and lifestyle range, featuring flower sprinkles, fruit preserves and wine.

The 44-year-old quietly visited theset of the reality TV cooking series on Wednesday to film her show-stopping segment at Melbourne Showgrounds.

It is understood she was on set for the entire day of filming, with Network 10 later confirming she would be a guest judge in an episode of the new season.

Some TV industry analysts initially suggested she could have been paid up to US$250,000 (AU$380,000) to appear on the show.

Former TV executive Rob McKnight dismissed the six-figure fee, but revealed the Duchess could easily have demanded between $10,000 to $50,000.

‘I think it is a brilliant PR move by Network 10, which is probably worth the least amount of money of the major networks,’ he said, hailing hailed the publicity coup.

‘It has shown Ten is the little engine that could.’

Meghan and Harry attended Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club to meet with heroes of the Bondi massacre before being surrounded by crowds.

A heavy NSW Police and private security presence guarded the doors as the Duke and Duchess spent 30 minutes inside meeting 40 surf life savers.

Some of those lifesavers were among the first responders to the Bondi terrorist attack, where 15 innocent lives were killed and dozens more were injured on December 14.

Harry and Meghan drew cheers from the crowd gathered outside as they emerged from the club.

Flanked by lifeguards, they headed down to the famous shore to watch a surf club demonstration, where they were surrounded by hundreds of people.

The crowd didn’t appear to faze the couple, who happily shook hands and posed for selfies.

Shannon Frost, the wife of surf lifesaver Jason, told Daily Mail that Meghan stopped to pat her dog Lolly on the way into the the venue.

The visit was kept tightly under wraps and was not listed on the couple’s official itinerary.

The influential ‘mutual friend’ who brokered Meghan Markle’s $3,000-a-head appearance at a women’s retreat in Sydney today has been pictured in the eastern suburbs hours before the event is due to begin.

Markus Anderson, one of Meghan’s closest confidants who played a crucial role in her early romance with Prince Harry, was spotted doing the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk on Friday morning with the Duchess, accompanied by NSW Police protection.

Gemma O’Neill, the organiser of the ‘Her Best Life’ retreat for which Meghan is rumoured to be receiving a $250,000 appearance fee, earlier this week revealed that the former Suits actress was involved as a favour to her ‘mutual friend’.

His appearance in Sydney today all but confirms that Anderson is that friend.

Anderson is a high-ranking executive with the Soho House group of private members’ clubs, and O’Neill is on the board of Soho House Sydney, which is expected to open at the end of this year or early 2027.

On Friday morning, Meghan was seen enjoying the picturesque scenes of Sydney’s most famous walking track with Anderson.

However, security rushed them into a waiting car when they spotted media nearby.

Meghan has been close friends with Anderson, who is Canadian, since her days as a B-list actress playing a supporting role in Suits, which was filmed in Toronto.

Harry and Meghan will sail around Sydney Harbour with Invictus Australia later today.

The Australian arm of the international sporting event hopes to bring the games back Down Under in 2031.

It’s not the couple’s first visit to Sydney Harbour.

They were newlyweds and still senior working members of the royal family when they first visited the iconic harbour in 2018 during the Invictus Games (pictured below).

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex cheered on competitors in the Invictus sailing finals, as they chatted animatedly with fellow sailors aboard the sailboat Hunky Dory.

Organisers are hoping for better conditions than last time after the couple copped a drenching on the breezy boat ride.

“We’re still apologising,’ Invictus Australia chief executive Michael Hartung told Nine Newspapers.

‘Our fingers are crossed for some good weather.’