**Meghan Markle’s 2018 Australia Tour: Behind the Smiles, Tensions Sparked a Dramatic Outburst**

*Published Oct. 1, 2025, 7:55 p.m. ET*

Meghan Markle’s celebrated 2018 tour of Australia with Prince Harry was widely hailed as a triumph. Yet, RadarOnline.com can now reveal that behind the smiling photographs, tensions with aides left Meghan so “miserable” that it sparked a dramatic outburst—ending with the Duchess hurling a cup of tea into the air.

At the time, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were newly married and expecting their first child. The couple captivated crowds in Sydney and beyond. Harry, 34 then, expressed to competitors at the Invictus Games that he was “humbled and inspired” by their determination. Meanwhile, Meghan, then 37, praised the “unshakable bond” and camaraderie among service personnel.

### Public Triumph, Private Strain

Their first major overseas tour appeared flawless to the public and press, who dubbed the phenomenon “Meghan-mania.” However, sources close to the Sussex household tell a different story. One insider shared, “From the outside it looked perfect, but behind the scenes things were tense. Markle was unhappy, Harry was fixated on negative comments online, and the staff were stuck in between.”

At one point, frustrations boiled over. According to reports, Meghan Markle hurled a cup of tea into the air in what an insider described as “a small but dramatic act of rebellion.”

### Clashes With Palace Aides

Royal author Tom Bower, in his book *Revenge*, revealed that while glowing photographs of the couple dominated headlines, the reality inside their team was one of considerable unhappiness. Meghan had brought close friends Jessica and Ben Mulroney from Canada to act as her support network, a move that reportedly caused friction with Palace aides already assigned to the couple.

Aides described Meghan as “abrasive” towards staff and diplomats, recalling the incident when she flung a cup of tea during a heated moment. Another source explained, “She was dealing with huge pressure and wanted the kind of press handling she was used to in Hollywood. When that wasn’t delivered, her frustration showed.”

### Harry’s Late-Night Obsessions

The strain deepened due to relentless media coverage. According to Bower, Harry would scour social media late at night for criticism, fueling further worries within the couple.

Meghan’s anger was heightened by resurfacing stories about her father, Thomas Markle, in the American press — including allegations of drug use and reports that he first learned of her pregnancy on the radio. Although those stories originated in the US, Harry allegedly blamed the British press, increasing tensions within their team.

### A Rift That Never Healed

Behind the scenes, Meghan grew increasingly frustrated with senior aide Jason Knauf, believing he and his team had failed to adequately shield her. One source revealed, “She felt vulnerable. Meghan admitted she’d believed the Palace would shield her, but when that didn’t happen, her confidence in the staff collapsed.”

This rift with Knauf reportedly grew so wide that Meghan excluded him from knowing about her surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards later that year — a move that even left the press office blindsided. Valentine Low, in his book *Courtiers*, described this as a deliberate public snub.

The fallout extended beyond palace staff. Meghan’s once-close friendship with Jessica Mulroney eventually collapsed after Mulroney became embroiled in a race controversy in 2020.

### A Defining Turning Point

Insiders say the tensions during the Australian tour marked a major turning point. As one source put it, “That was when the gap between the glossy image and what was really happening behind the scenes became undeniable.”

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This behind-the-scenes glimpse into Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s 2018 Australia tour reveals that beneath the polished surface, significant struggles shaped their experience — tensions that would continue to impact their relationships and public roles in the years to come.
https://radaronline.com/p/meghan-markle-hurled-tea-miserable-royal-life/