Meghan Markle was reportedly left disappointed after the Irwin family opted not to meet her and Prince Harry during their current Australian tour.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, had reportedly hoped to catch up with celebrity conservationist Robert Irwin, 22, and his family at Australia Zoo in Queensland.
‘Aligning with the Irwins’ worthy causes is something that Meghan and Harry could be on board with,’ an insider tells this week’s New Idea magazine.
However, the meeting did not go ahead, with New Idea reporting the Irwins politely declined the invitation due to their strong ties as monarchists.
‘They meant no ill-will towards the Sussexes, but at the end of the day they are all staunch monarchists and fiercely loyal to The Firm,’ an insider told the publication.
They added that Robert was particularly close to Harry’s brother William, as an ambassador for his Earthshot Prize, and didn’t want to upset the Prince of Wales by appearing to side with Meghan.
‘It just wasn’t possible,’ a source added.
It follows reports that guests who paid thousands to attend Meghan Markle’s Her Best Life retreat in Sydney over the weekend may have been treated to Champagne, selfies with the duchess and plush hotel rooms – but the budget gift bags they left with have raised a few eyebrows.
Far from a haul of ultra-premium beauty products, attendees were instead handed a mix of affordable wellness and supermarket-adjacent items that wouldn’t look out of place in a weekly shop.
Included in a branded canvas bag was a small $21 can of Meghan’s famous As Ever edible flowers, alongside a Tri-Peptide Lip Butter Glaze which sells at Coles for $18.
There was just one other item from her As Ever collection – a ‘Hold That Thought’ leather bookmark – which is sold online for $28.
There were also $21 Hunter lavender-scented candles, which sit firmly in the mid-range wellness category.
Meanwhile, a Love Tea gift box set, valued at $39, added a more premium feel.
A bag of Funday sweets, which retail for $4.50 and are available at most supermarkets and chemists, were also thrown in.
The total value of the gift bag was just under $200.
Tickets for the retreat cost $2,699 for standard entry or up to $3,199 for VIP premium packages which offered more direct access to Meghan.
On Friday night, Meghan spent just two hours with female fans who paid to ask her questions and pose for pictures at a money-spinning ‘ultimate girls’ weekend where she bemoaned her ‘very hard’ life.
After 120 minutes at the gala, Meghan departed the InterContinental Coogee with her husband Prince Harry shortly after 7pm, in the back of a luxury Range Rover.
Excited paying guests had started turning up at the five-star beachside hotel in Sydney’s eastern suburbs from 3pm due to the strict security arrangements, with the official event kicking off at 5pm.
On stage at the gala dinner, where paying guests ate kingfish, beef tenderloin and coconut crumble, Meghan bemoaned her ‘very hard’ life in the public eye, claiming she has been ‘attacked’ ever since marrying Prince Harry.
She said she had enjoyed ‘amazing moments’ since meeting the British royal, including getting married and having two children, but insisted she had also ‘endured’ constant attacks for a decade.
Before she began speaking, Prince Harry, who was one of the few men in the audience, reportedly gave his wife a standing ovation as she arrived in the room.
