Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be privately visiting Australia next month, and are scheduled to take part in some business, philanthropy, and media ventures.
For her part, Meghan would be headlining a Sydney “ultimate girls’ weekend” retreat where she is expected to take photos and answer questions from paying vip guests.
However, the retreat is already coming under scrutiny as reports suggest the event’s hosts are wallowing in financial difficulties and are owing over 500,000 Australian dollars in taxes.
Meghan Markle’s Australian Retreat’s Host Embroiled In Financial Troubles
The PR agency responsible for organizing Meghan Markle’s upcoming appearance at an Australian “girls’ weekend” has reportedly entered liquidation, with reports suggesting the brand is owing more than half a million Australian dollars in taxes.
The “Her Best Life Retreat” is a first-of-its-kind seaside weekend outing by event company Besties, which was founded by radio host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson and Gemma O’Neill.
The pair tapped Meghan to headline the ultra-exclusive retreat, where women pay £1,705 [$2,275] for a nice timeout and also get to take pictures with the Duchess of Sussex over dinner.
However, the talent agency promoting the event is said to be having money problems, with owner O’Neill saying she can’t pay the huge tax bill because of a lack of savings and “limited income.”
A news.com.au report revealed that the brand, Gemmie Agency, went into voluntary liquidation in November, and owes $543,548 to the Australian Taxation Office, with another 3,300 owed to small business Jack Lawrence Accountants and Advisors.
The Meghan Markle Retreat Organizer Has Been Asked To Give An Account
The company hosting the weekend event, Besties Australia, was also mentioned in the insolvency report, as it was noted that it received a loan of $18,143 from the Gemmie Agency.
Besties Australia was registered by O’Neill in October 2022 in her role as director/secretary. However, the report states that she didn’t disclose any loans to related parties to administrators.
“The director (O’Neill) advised that this balance was incorrectly recorded by the Company’s former accountant and the transactions in the loan account were in respect of costs incurred by the Company, and not by Besties Australia,” the report states.
According to the Daily Mail, administrators have written to O’Neill requesting “a detailed explanation of the balance of that loan.”
She reportedly wrote to them back in February, stating that she couldn’t make any repayment contributions, as she has no available personal savings, limited income, and has failed to refinance her beachside apartment in Sydney.
More Troubles For The PR Agency
O’Neill seems to have endured more challenging situations as her star client, Jackie O, got embroiled in a public row with her KIIS FM radio partner, Kyle Sandilands, which led to their $100M contract being torn up.
Now, Jackie O is understood to have filed a wrongful termination suit against the network after she told executives she couldn’t “continue to work with Mr. Kyle Sandilands” following his comments.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear how the financial situation would affect Meghan’s meet and greet event from April 17 to 19.
Reports suggest the event will host more than 300 guests to a “VIP Experience” that includes a “group table photo with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,” as well as the chance to hear her interviewed on stage during a two-night stay in a 5-star Sydney hotel.
It Is Unclear If Meghan Markle Would Be Paid For The
It appears the former “Suits” actress had nothing to do with the booking, which was seemingly handled by her friend Markus Anderson.
The organizer, O’Neill, claims Anderson reached out to her and suggested that Meghan be their guest of honor.
Whether or not the Duchess of Sussex would be paid an appearance fee of some sort remains unknown, as the event coincides with her and Harry’s trip to Australia next month.
However, royal experts have suggested she’ll appear as a “paid celebrity,” with one insider comparing her to former Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, saying, “she’s basically Fergie,” per the Daily Mail.
Meghan Markle Was ‘Horrified’ Over A Leaked Email Which Revealed Details About Her Retreat
Meanwhile, Meghan is understood to be uneasy after details of her upcoming Australian trip were leaked.
“She was horrified when word got out, ahead of the official announcement, that she would be appearing at a women’s retreat in Sydney,” a source told New Idea.
They continued, “She likes to be in control, and the chaotic announcement about her arrival was anything but polished. While a leak about the trip isn’t the end of the world, Meghan’s losing sleep at what else could come out.”
Meghan is said to have taken measures to fish out where the leak came from, as she also worries about what other private information may surface.
“She is on a mission to find out who leaked the information. It’s made the working environment around her office very tense,” the source added.
