Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have confirmed plans to visit Australia in mid-April, marking their first return to the country in more than seven years.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will travel as private citizens and are expected to participate in a range of philanthropic, business and community engagements during the trip.

A spokesperson for the couple said the visit will include several activities across major Australian cities, with Sydney and Melbourne expected to feature prominently in the itinerary.

Further details about the program are anticipated to be announced closer to the travel date.

The journey represents the couple’s first time back in Australia since their high-profile royal tour in October 2018. That earlier visit took place shortly after their wedding and coincided with the Invictus Games in Sydney, an international sporting competition founded by Prince Harry for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.

Unlike the 2018 trip, which was conducted as part of official royal duties, the upcoming visit will take place following the couple’s decision in 2020 to step back from their roles as senior working members of the British royal family.

Since relocating to California, they have focused on independent philanthropic initiatives, media projects and international humanitarian work.

Prince Harry is expected to engage with Australian military and veterans’ communities during the visit, reflecting his long-standing connection with service members and the ongoing work of the Invictus Games Foundation.

Meghan Markle is also expected to participate in a series of professional and cultural engagements, with reports suggesting she may appear on a prominent Australian lifestyle podcast and take part in a public event connected to a women’s networking platform.

Planning for the visit has reportedly been underway for nearly a year, highlighting the couple’s continuing relationship with Australia and its communities.

The trip follows several recent international journeys undertaken by the pair in support of humanitarian causes, including visits to Jordan and earlier engagements in countries such as Nigeria and Colombia.

Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are not expected to accompany them on the Australian visit.

The return carries symbolic significance, as Australia played a notable role in the early period of the couple’s public life together.

Their 2018 tour across Australia and the Pacific attracted large crowds and international attention, and it was during that journey that the couple announced Meghan’s first pregnancy.

With preparations now under way for the April visit, anticipation is building among supporters and community groups who expect the couple’s engagements to focus on charitable initiatives, public dialogue and collaboration with organisations across the country.