Harry and Meghan hit back after 35,000-strong Australian petition demands couple not use taxpayer's cash to fund visit
The royal couple will jet off to Australia for a private trip in April but concerns had been raised among some Australians over who would pay for the visit
A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan has hit back after a petition launched to prevent taxpayer cash being spent on their protection during a visit to Australia gained over 35,000 signatures.
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The quasi-royal visit has drawn criticism from Australians before the Sussexes arrive Down Under next month.
Advocate group Beyond Australia has urged the government not to fund Meghan and Harry's security.
The group also called for the Sussexes to fund their own logistics and other requirements for the trip.
But appearing to hit back on Wednesday, a representative said the trip would be privately funded and pointed to how many Australians had not signed the petition.
They said: "It's a moot point. The trip is being funded privately, so I'm not sure what this petition hopes to achieve."
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The petition, listed on Change.org, is titled "No Taxpayer-Funding or Official Support for Harry & Meghan's Private Visit to Australia".
It has reached a total of 35,469 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon.
The spokesperson added: "If you wanted to dive into the ridiculousness of this petition as an agenda for spreading misinformation, then one could equally hypothesise that there are approximately 26.5million Australians who haven't signed it, who must therefore agree with the taxpayer picking up the tab for their visit.
"Of course, that is another equally stupid assertion to make."
The group spearheading the campaign said: "The activities are private and commercial and must be treated strictly as a private visit.
"At a time when Australians are facing significant cost-of-living pressures, including rising grocery bills, fuel prices, mortgage stress driven by interest rate hikes, and increasing energy costs, public resources must be used responsibly and applied fairly without special treatment for high-profile individuals."
Both state and federal governments in Australia have previously declined to confirm who is responsible for the pair's protection during their visit.
Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, last visited Australia in 2018 when they were both senior working royals.
As a result, the couple had a police escort throughout the tour and also stayed at the Governor-General's residence overlooking the stunning Sydney Harbour.
The trip will see the Duchess of Sussex appearing at the "Her Best Life Retreat", dubbed Megstock.
The three day luxury retreat will take place between April 17 and 19, with around 300 guests set to attend.