Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will headline a women-only luxury wellness retreat in Sydney from April 17 to 19. The event will take place at the beachfront InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach. Ticket packages offer accommodation, wellness programming, and a gala dinner conversation with her. The event is produced by Besties, the events company co-founded by Gemma O’Neill and Jackie “O” Henderson. Organizers describe it as a weekend designed to bring women together for conversations, relaxation, and shared experiences, and expect around 300 women to attend at the oceanfront venue, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
The retreat, called Her Best Life, will feature a schedule of wellness and connection activities. Planned sessions include a women’s psychology workshop, yoga, sound healing, shared meals, and a disco night. The program will culminate in a gala dinner featuring an in-person conversation with Meghan. VIP guests will receive front-row seating at the gala and a group table photo with the Duchess of Sussex, along with a premium ocean-view hotel room and an exclusive VIP goodie bag. Early Bird tickets include accommodation, access to the gala dinner, all meals, alcohol, and entry to speaker and wellness sessions.
Women trying to be their best selves
Tickets start at 2,699 Australian dollars (about US$1,931). The headline appearance positions Meghan as the retreat’s main speaker, with organizers describing her as a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and humanitarian who champions mental health and the rights of women and girls, and as one of the world’s most influential women recognized by TIME and Vogue.
O’Neill confirmed Meghan’s participation and said the Duchess agreed to take part as a favor due to a mutual friend, Markus Anderson, and because she supports women trying to be their best selves. O’Neill praised Meghan’s resilience and “how she has demonstrated how a woman can be pushed down and she can still rise,” according to BBC News. The program’s format will also include an on-stage conversation with Meghan at the gala dinner, where VIP guests will be seated in the front row.
Henderson has stepped away from co-hosting the Her Best Life podcast and will not be attending the Sydney retreat, with her departure announced on February 3. O’Neill is leading the event’s hosting duties, as Besties brings the weekend to Coogee Beach. While the retreat is a stand-alone event, Meghan is also set to go solo in the Sussexes’ upcoming Australia trip, which a spokesperson has described as private, business, and philanthropic.