Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly surprised and emotional after crowds warmly received them during their recent visit to Nottingham, their first joint UK appearances in years.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made several public appearances in the city on Thursday, where they were greeted by well-wishers. According to a royal expert who witnessed the visit, the response was not quite what the couple had anticipated.
Warm reception surprises couple
Speaking on The Royals with Roya and Kate podcast, The Times royal editor Roya Nikkhah discussed the Sussexes' return with executive editor Jeremy Griffin, revealing how the public reacted to their appearance.
Roya said: "From what I saw, they were very warmly received. Very warmly received."
She added: "And I was told they were quite surprised by that. And I was told they were quite emotional about it because they weren't expecting anyone to turn out."
Visit to community studio
Harry and Meghan visited the Community Recording Studio (CRS) in St Ann's, Nottingham, as part of three public engagements in the city. Although the appearances were not official engagements on behalf of the Royal Family, Roya suggested they closely resembled traditional royal visits.
She explained that despite the Sussexes' team reportedly expecting the appearances to remain private, crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the couple, alongside a significant media presence.
Roya said: "The very fact that a load of press did turn up, you know, an absolutely huge bank of photographers at that first engagement at the community recording studio, just goes to show that wherever Harry and Meghan go, you know, it's going to get a lot of coverage."
The visit also carried personal significance for the couple, as Nottingham was the location of their first joint public appearance following their engagement in 2017.
Personal moments with the public
Among those waiting to see them was 90-year-old Irene Hardman, who brought along a framed photograph of the Sussexes from that earlier visit. Meghan was visibly touched by the gesture, kissing Irene on the cheek and embracing her as they reminisced about the occasion.
The Duchess said: "Oh my gosh. How sweet is that? This was our very first walkabout."
Irene replied: "I remember you, my darling."
The couple also greeted schoolchildren, charity representatives and other members of the public, with flowers, photographs and selfies forming part of their visit. Meghan was heard telling one woman: "Oh, it's great to be back", while Harry complimented another well-wisher's bright pink jacket.
The appearance marked Meghan's first public events in Britain in four years, following her attendance at the late Queen's funeral in 2022.
Private citizens, royal-style visit
Harry and Meghan moved to the US after stepping back from their roles as working royals in 2020, triggering the crisis widely known as Megxit. The high-profile appearances were not official royal engagements. A letter to government stakeholders authorised by the King last month clarified that the Sussexes remain "private citizens", although the visit appeared to bear many of the hallmarks of a traditional royal engagement.
