Meghan Markle swept into the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne on April 14, looking every bit the Duchess despite the constant hum of palace disapproval. She spent the afternoon serving lunch to residents at a homeless shelter, her movements captured in the high-saturation glow of a four-day Australian spectacle. Prince Harry followed in her wake, the couple providing a much-needed masterclass in maintaining a brand without the burden of a crown.

Royal insiders have already begun the predictable sniping, describing the trip as a "faux royal tour." Experts are accusing the couple of exploiting their titles for a bit of southern hemisphere shine. But to the crowds in Melbourne, the distinction between a state visit and a celebrity appearance was beautifully irrelevant. The spectacle is the point, and the Sussexes are the only ones still delivering it with 4K clarity.

Physical details mattered more than protocol. The hospital lunch trays, the crisp Australian sunlight, and the practiced warmth of the handshakes were all perfectly staged for the digital era. While the traditional royals hide behind palace walls, Harry and Meghan are proving that the Ghost Era is about visibility, even if the authority behind it is purely synthetic. They are the ultimate Veblen good: a royalty that exists simply because we cannot stop looking at them.