Now that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have returned to British soil, they’re getting more scrutiny than ever from the British press.
And much has been made of the fact that their latest public appearance took them somewhere with plenty of royal history.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped out in Nottingham on October 15 for their first official joint engagement since relocating from California to the United Kingdom with their children in August.
“Oh, it’s great to be back,” Meghan reportedly told a well-wisher as the couple greeted supporters.
The visit marked a return to familiar territory for the couple. Nottingham was also the site of their first official engagement together after announcing their engagement in 2017.
Nearly nine years later, a lot has changed. Harry and Meghan married in 2018, welcomed two children, and walked away from their senior royal duties in 2020 before settling in California.
Now, they’re back in Britain and making their presence known.
The couple began their Nottingham visit at the Community Recording Studio, a charity that provides creative activities, mentoring and development programs for young people. Meghan and Harry greeted supporters outside the venue, posed for selfies and accepted gifts from well-wishers.
Meghan also participated in a confidence-building workshop, while Harry reconnected with people involved in the organization’s youth programs.
The Sussexes were scheduled to visit two additional organizations during the day: Himmah Hub, which works to combat food poverty, and Epic Partners, which supports young people through sports, education and mentoring.
Both stops have connections to the couple’s previous charitable work. Meghan supported community cooking initiatives through her 2018 cookbook, “Together: Our Community Cookbook,” while Harry has maintained ties to Nottingham youth organizations for years.
Of course, their return comes with a few complications.
Although Harry and Meghan retain their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, they are no longer working members of the royal family. King Charles III’s household reiterated that status in a letter issued in September, emphasizing that the couple would continue to operate as private citizens.
Their public engagements therefore come with a distinction: They may look like traditional royal appearances, but they aren’t official duties on behalf of the monarchy.
And many critics were quick to point out that distinction.
“Harry and Meghan are no longer working members of the royal family,” firebrand royal expert Kinsey Schofield remarked this week. “King Charles recently reminded his government that the Sussexes are private citizens. The Sussexes appear increasingly determined to recreate the optics of royal life without the responsibilities that come with it. … The charitable visits, the appearances, the photographers. It’s royal theatre without royal authority.”
The couple also continue to navigate strained relationships with the royal family. Harry has not publicly reconciled with his father or his brother, Prince William, despite the family’s return to the United Kingdom.
Security remains another important issue. Harry has long argued that adequate protection is necessary when he brings his family to Britain, and questions surrounding taxpayer-funded police security remain part of the broader picture.
For now, however, the Sussexes appear focused on reconnecting with charitable organizations and establishing their lives in the UK.
Their Nottingham appearance represents a significant public step since their return. Whether it signals a more regular schedule of joint engagements remains to be seen.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Make First Public Appearance Since Return to UK; Critics … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
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