Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made their first joint public appearance in the UK on Thursday, stepping out for a series of quasi-royal engagements in Nottingham, the city where the couple made their first post-engagement appearance in late 2017.
As the couple made their way to their first visit of the day, the city’s Community Recording Studio (CRS), between 150 and 200 people arrived to warmly welcome them. The local community charity offers various youth development programmes.
Three Nottingham engagements
The couple then moved into their second visit: the Himmah Hub, a community action group addressing food poverty in Nottingham. The couple finally made their way to Epic Partners in Nottingham, their last stop of the day.
Just hours after the couple stepped out, Meghan's friend and British journalist Bryony Gordon shared her pride after seeing yesterday's appearance. As she praised the former working royal, Bryony also gushed about the "best thing" about Meghan's return to the UK.
'Don't let the b******* grind you down'
Discussing how seeing Meghan's latest public appearance, Bryony said that it "lifted my spirits". She also added that Meghan's return "sends a message to women up and down the country" not to let negativity and cruel words get to them.
She wrote in her latest article for the Daily Mail: "But the best thing about Meghan being back is the message it sends to women up and down the country. In the words of the wonderful Margaret Atwood: nolite te bastardes carborundorum." The saying loosely translates to 'Don't let the b******* grind you down'.
She added: "Given the level of abuse she’s experienced, I wouldn’t blame Meghan if she chose to leave the public appearances entirely to her husband, and spent her time hiding in private members’ club Soho Farmhouse.
"Instead, she’s stepped back into the public eye, appearing yesterday in Nottingham for her first public engagements with Harry since they left the country in the spring of 2020. And she did it all with a beaming smile (as well as some more chic British fashion, this time from Joseph), spending 15 minutes greeting people who had waited outside the Community Recording Studio."
She also noted: "Meghan isn’t perfect and nor does she pretend to be, but she brings a much-needed sparkle to proceedings, one that has largely been absent from ‘official’ royal engagements in recent years."
Warm welcome from fans
The couple appeared delighted to be greeted by adoring fans, with Meghan spotted holding a huge bunch of autumnal-coloured flowers. 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 and Harry were also spotted posing for pictures with awaiting fans as they spoke to them. Meghan was heard telling one fan how happy she was to be back in the UK. The couple returned to the UK in August, with news of their return only made public days before they arrived. The family of four are now thought to be living somewhere in the Cotswolds with their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
