Meghan Markle will reportedly go on a luxury Australian retreat next month, even as new reports raise speculation about the PR boss being in debt. Australian publicist Gemma O’Neill, who has promoted the Sydney weekend and works through the Besties Australia events business, faces scrutiny after her talent management firm, Gemmie Agency, entered voluntary liquidation in November. Administrators said the company’s debts totalled over $543K AUD ($386K USD) to the Australian Taxation Office, along with $3,300 AUD ($2,350 USD) to Jack Lawrence Accountants and Advisors.
PR boss behind Meghan Markle’s Australian weekend in debt crisis, retreat remains on schedule
Despite the PR boss’s debt, GB News reported that Meghan Markle will headline the Australian retreat in April. Representatives for the Duchess of Sussex have confirmed that Markle still plans to appear at the three-day “Her Best Life Retreat,” scheduled for April 17 to 19 at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach. The event is billed as a high-end weekend for up to 300 women.
This reportedly includes wellness sessions and on-stage talks, with Markle expected to deliver a speech and take part in a Q&A segment. Ticketing ranges from early packages listed at about $2,699 to VIP options priced at $3,199, which include a group photograph with the duchess at a gala dinner in addition to front-row seating and two nights at the five-star hotel.
Additionally, GB News reported that Gemma O’Neill told administrators on February 20 that she could not make repayments, citing limited income and no personal savings. The report added that she failed to refinance her beachside Sydney apartment.
A creditors’ statement from Grant Thornton Australia also referenced an $18K AUD ($11.7K USD) loan to Besties Australia, though GB News reported O’Neill disputed that entry and claimed that her ex-accountant recorded the transactions incorrectly.
The booking itself reportedly came together through Markus Anderson, a long-time friend of Markle. O’Neill described her reaction to the offer, telling GB News, “I felt like I didn’t deserve her,” while also calling Anderson “the bee’s knees and a top-notch human.”
Originally reported by Ishika Mishra on Reality Tea.
