(NewsNation) — When Gwyneth Paltrow held her wellness event in Sydney in 2023, the city ground to a standstill. “The whole of the eastern suburbs went to that event,” Australian royal commentator and host of The Vintage Read Show, Shauna Kay, said.
“People said you couldn’t get a babysitter, you couldn’t get an Uber, you couldn’t get anything that night.”
Meghan Markle’s upcoming “Besties” weekend event at a Sydney hotel, priced at $2,500 to $3,000 a ticket, is generating no such excitement, and those close to Australia’s PR and influencer world say the silence is deafening.
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“If you contrast it to Gwyneth Paltrow’s Besties event, which was in 2023 — now that was sold out,” Kay said.
“But the interesting thing is the fact that there is no pre-promotion. It’s basically an influencer blackout, and that is a real red flag.”
Shauna Kay: Everyone was excited for Gwyneth Paltrow
Kay, who spoke to contacts working in Sydney’s marketing and PR sector, said the contrast to the Paltrow rollout is stark.
“Leading into Gwyneth Paltrow, there was about a month of pre-promo where people were very happy to go on to their socials and advertise the fact that they would be there… Everyone was excited, everyone wanted to be associated with the event.”
With Meghan, it’s the opposite. “There is no excitement, there’s no buildup. There’s no one willing to break their silence, anyone of note, to say that they’re actually going to the event,” Kay said. “It’s almost like they don’t want to be associated with her, with Meghan Markle, because it’s really bad for their brands.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 11: Gwyneth Paltrow speaks at Forbes Power Women’s Summit 2024 on September 11, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA – AUGUST 15: Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the ‘Responsible Digital Future’ forum at EAN University in Bogota, Colombia on August 15, 2024. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle land in Colombia to join Marquez in discussions with women and youth on combating discrimination and cyberbullying. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The promotional content being pushed by co-host Gemma O’Neill — who is also reportedly facing a $550,000 tax bill from the Australian government — has done little to generate buzz.
“Gemma O’Neill has been doing a lot of really quite poorly produced pre-promo things on her Insta, and it all looks a little half-hearted, a bit tacky,” Kay said. “They’re showing a ballroom… an undecorated ballroom with just the plain tables and chairs and the unadorned stage. It just doesn’t inspire you to spend over three grand to attend.”
For those who do spend that three grand, they now get to have their own room (previously, the organizers had expected so many in atrtendance, VIPs were told they would have to share), attend a Q&A with Meghan with pre-approved questions, and then get a photo with her at a gala event before she speeds off and goes back to her husband Harry at an actual five-star hotel in Sydney.
Kay also quipped: “You do get an As Ever goodie bag, Paula. And I mean, who wouldn’t want a bookmark and a jar of runny spread?”
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The event has also attracted a toxic fringe that industry observers say is making matters worse.
“There is a member of the Sussex Squad (Harry and Meghan’s fan group) who is attending,” Kay said, noting the figure has a history of harassing prominent royal journalists like Camilla Tominey, Rebecca English, and Richard Eden. “There’s a lot of toxicity around that… it just doesn’t look good for a feel-good influencer event that’s supposed to be all about wellness and about joy.”
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As for what is really driving the tour, Kay said: “I really think we can’t frame this in any other way other than a pay-for-play, a desperate grab for cash.”
Kay added she suspects Meghan may be underestimating Australians and overestimating their supposed esteem for her. “I think she thinks we’re hicks down under that won’t see through it all and be just so honored that she’s graced us with her spreads.”
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