Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet received gift bags and balloons from a fan during Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's packed day of engagements in Nottingham on Thursday. The two young royals, who now live in the UK, were not present for their parents' visit, but were not forgotten.
Gifts for the young royals
Nichola, a Nottingham resident, arrived with gift bags and balloons for Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five. She said: “I can just go show our complete support for Harry and Meghan; they’ve got children, I’ve got children, and I brought something I thought the children would like. Harry said ‘How do you know she likes unicorns’ and I said, ‘all children like unicorns’.”
She added: “I know they get a lot of stick and it’s not justified we love them and show support they are always welcome.” The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in the UK with their children at the end of August, with the family of four now thought to be living somewhere in the Cotswolds.
First joint appearance since returning
Between 150 and 200 people arrived to greet the couple as they made their first joint appearance since returning to the UK. Meghan and Harry embarked on a 20-minute walkabout before the start of the engagement at Community Recording Studio (CRS), arriving around 10.30am.
The couple were greeted by well-wishers who lined the streets outside the venue. Meghan was spotted holding a huge bunch of autumnal-coloured flowers, and the crowd cheered as the royal couple got out of a dark-coloured Range Rover, before one woman shouted: “We love you, Duchess Meghan, we love you.” Meghan was heard telling one fan how happy she was to be back in the UK.
Three engagements in Nottingham
After their visit to CRS, Meghan and Harry visited Himmah Hub, a community action group addressing food poverty in Nottingham. Himmah is a Nottingham charity tackling poverty, food insecurity, racism and social exclusion through community meals, food parcels and wider practical support. Both sported striped aprons as they helped prepare food.
Meghan and Harry were then seen decorating birthday cupcakes during a visit to Epic Partners, their final stop of the day. Epic Partners supports children, young people and families in St Ann's and Sneinton, Nottingham, through youth work, sport, mentoring and education.
Today's events were Meghan's first official public appearance since returning to the UK. The 45-year-old is known to have made it her main priority to settle Archie and Lilibet into their new life in the UK. Harry and Meghan were protected by their private security team during today's events, without the benefit of the police convoys assigned to senior working royals. Following a letter to Government stakeholders last month, authorised by the King, clarifying that the Sussexes remain “private citizens”, today's visits appeared to bear all the hallmarks of such engagements.
