What Meghan Markle probably had with her on today’s Qantas flight to Sydney
WHEN the Duchess of Sussex was packing for her trip to Australia, it’s likely she tossed this genius product in her toiletries bag.
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle may have arrived in Sydney shrouded in secrecy — we didn’t even know what plane to expect them on — but we can be pretty sure of what Meghan had packed in her luggage.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex touched down at Sydney airport on a Qantas flight this morning for their long-awaited tour of Australia.
And while there are precious few details of what happened on the royal couple’s first class flight (more on that later), Meghan has already revealed what she always packs in her suitcase. And it’s uniquely — and appropriately — Australian.
In a newly resurfaced interview with Allure magazine, Meghan, whose mum Doria Ragland worked as a travel agent, said she never went anywhere without a small stash of good old-fashioned Tea Tree oil.
“The one thing that I cannot live without when I’m travelling is a small container of Tea Tree oil,” she told Allure.
“It’s not the most glamorous thing, but if you get a cut, a mosquito bite, a small breakout, no matter what it is, it’s my little cure-all.
“It’s inexpensive, it’s small enough to carry on, and I bring it with me all the time.”
Tea Tree oil comes from the leaves of a myrtle tree species native to Queensland and NSW and is said to be beneficial for treating blemishes, insect bites and cuts, as well as serving as an antiseptic.
The essential oil retails for as little as $7 for a 15ml bottle. And it may be particularly handy as Meghan and Harry travel through Australia and New Zealand and on to the lush islands of the South Pacific during their royal tour.
INSIDE MEGHAN AND HARRY’S FLIGHT
As Australian media kept their eyes on British Airways jets touching down at Sydney Airport this morning, the Duke and Duchess surprised everyone by cruising in on Qantas flight QF2 from London via Singapore.
It was a scheduled commercial flight on an Airbus A380 they shared with other passengers — so no private jet for these royals.
News.com.au understands Prince Harry and Meghan travelled in the first class cabin and weren’t the only passengers in first class on the flight.
They flew with an entourage of entourage of 10 staff members, including press secretaries and a hairdresser.
An on-board source told news.com.au the couple appeared to be in good spirits during the eight-hour flight and were “excited about coming to Australia”.
And it’s little wonder they were in such good moods — Qantas’ first class service is seriously impressive on the A380 superjumbo.
Prince Harry and Meghan would have dined on meals designed by Rockpool’s Neil Perry, Qantas’ creative director of food, beverage and service, and might have taken up the offer of having dishes paired with wines and champagnes on advice from in-house sommeliers.
But they may have passed on the seafood option — members of the British royal family reportedly avoid eating shellfish, which carries a higher risk of food poisoning than most other kinds of food.
The couple would have been handed his and hers amenities kits filled with ASPAR products by Australian company Aurora Spas, as well as socks, an eye mask, toothbrush and toothpaste, ear plugs and deodorant.
They may have changed into Qantas’ navy blue first class pyjamas, made from 100 per cent cotton and designed by Qantas’ creative designer of fashion Martin Grant. They may even have tossed aside their shoes for the matching slippers.
But what’s more important about first class than the seat?
Prince Harry and Meghan would have settled into luxurious, adjustable armchairs with in-seat massage, private lighting and their own windows.
And when it was time for a snooze, they’d have stretched out on a 212-centimetre, fully-flat memory foam mattress, made even more comfortable with a cotton throw, duvet and pillows selected from the “pillow menu”.
Prince Harry and Meghan flew from London with a stopover in Singapore’s Changi Airport, where they might have spent time in the Qantas Singapore Lounge.
It isn’t exclusively an exclusive first class lounge, but it does offer all the perks of upper-tier travel: dining and bar service, an in-house barista, showers and internet access for the royal on the go.
After they arrived in Sydney, the couple offered smiles to the waiting media as they were quickly whisked from the airport to a waiting car.
Their official duties start tomorrow, beginning with a meeting with Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and his wife, Lady Cosgrove, at Admiralty House.
