PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN | Royal couple land in Melbourne amidst fury over six-figure tax-payer bill

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex landed at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport just after 6.30am on Tuesday aboard a commercial Qantas flight from Los Angeles.

The royal couple was escorted off the tarmac by Australian Federal Police and Victorian officers via a VIP exit.

A private convoy ferried the pair to a luxury CBD hotel, where they are preparing for a packed schedule of engagements.

Their program includes a visit to the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, a solo trip by Meghan to a women's shelter, and an evening meeting with veterans and their families.

The four-day privately funded tour will take in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, with the couple's official program centred on mental health, community resilience and veteran support.

Their children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, have remained in the US.

But it is the question of who pays for security that has dominated the conversation.

Observers say police bill alone could stretch into six figures, factoring in route corridors, crowd management, venue sweeps and intelligence resources layered on top of the couple's private protection detail.

Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson was scathing, demanding the State Government guarantee no officers would be diverted from frontline duties to protect the visiting couple.

"Victoria Police are there to provide security and safety for Victorians," she said.

"Any suggestion that officers are going to be pulled off duty to provide security and protection for Harry and Meghan's visit is absolutely unacceptable."

Libertarian MP David Limbrick echoed those sentiments, saying millionaires should not expect the public purse to cover their protection.

The visit will also feature private commercial engagements, including Meghan's headline appearance at a women-only retreat in Sydney organised by the Her Best Life podcast.

Tickets for the three-day event — featuring yoga, meditation, a gala dinner and a fireside Q&A with the Duchess were listed at up to $3199 for VIP packages.

However, not all travellers on the couple's flight were thrilled by the royal presence.

While one passenger described the pair as "beautiful people" after a brief chat, another was less charitable, telling reporters: "We don't want them here."

It is the Sussexes' first trip to Australia since their landmark 2018 tour, during which they announced they were expecting their first child.

The couple's program is expected to continue in Canberra and Sydney later this week.