Harry and Meghan’s first joint UK appearance in Nottingham marks a shift
Stepping out as private citizens following an official palace notice, the couple reunited with local crowds in the English Midlands.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived in Nottingham on the morning of October 15, marking their first joint public appearance together since moving back to the United Kingdom in August 2026.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began their schedule in the St Ann’s area of the city at the Community Recording Studio. Barriers lined the pavement as the pair held hands, embraced members of the public, and accepted flowers from well-wishers, according to reporting from the Nottingham Post.
During the walkabout, Meghan stopped to speak with crowds waiting in the autumn sun. “It’s great to be back,” she told the crowd, later adding, “We’ve got lovely weather today. We got lucky.”
Warm greetings on the walkabout
Among those waiting outside the recording studio was 90-year-old Irene Hardman of Ruddington, who previously met Harry on several of his visits to Nottingham over the years. Meghan greeted Hardman with a kiss on the cheek outside the venue, the Nottingham Post reported.
Local attendee Emily Davis, 21, presented Meghan with a bouquet of yellow flowers and a personal card. Davis told Parade that Meghan folded the card and placed it into her pocket. Inside the studio, Meghan spoke warmly with attendees, saying, “We have to remember to talk to ourselves like we talk to our best friends.”
Trevor Rose, chief executive officer of Community Recording Studio, said the couple check in regularly and monitor the charity’s progress, but the sudden visit arrived faster than anticipated. “I thought it was going to be something in the future, next thing I know it’s two weeks later and we are here, so yeah it’s a complete shock,” Rose told Parade.
A return with personal history
Nottingham holds a special place in the couple’s history together. The city was the setting of their very first official joint royal walkabout in December 2017, just days after announcing their engagement, as reported by Hello!.
“Nottingham is a really special place for them and they are looking forward to getting back out there into the community, together,” a friend of the Sussexes told The Times ahead of Thursday’s engagements.
Harry first visited the Community Recording Studio in 2013, a trip that led to The Royal Foundation backing the Full Effect youth initiative. In September 2025, Harry returned for a solo visit to announce a £1.1 million donation to BBC Children in Need, saying at the time, “Nottingham has my respect, it always has, and my commitment and a permanent place in my heart.”
Their Nottingham schedule and UK status
Thursday’s itinerary features three separate stops across the city. Following the recording studio, the couple are scheduled to visit the food poverty charity Himmah, joining cooking sessions alongside women from the Grenfell Hubb Community Kitchen. Meghan previously collaborated with the kitchen in 2018, penning the foreword for their cookbook, Together: Our Community Cookbook. The couple are also scheduled to visit youth charity Epic Partners in Sneinton.
Harry and Meghan relocated to England from California in late August 2026 with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, settling in the Cotswolds. The relocation comes after stepping down from official royal duties in 2020.
Their community visits take place outside of the official royal fold. In September 2026, an official letter authorized by King Charles III was circulated through the Lord Chamberlain to more than 100 senior stakeholders. As reported by The Star, the letter noted, “It is well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of the sovereign and are no longer working members of the royal family.” According to Us Weekly, the correspondence also stated that their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.
What we do and do not know
While the Duke and Duchess have made their return to the UK with their children, it remains unconfirmed whether they plan to purchase a permanent home in the country or continue renting on a friend’s estate in the Cotswolds. It is also not known whether the couple will join the royal family for winter holiday gatherings or celebrate Christmas privately with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland.
