Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, visited Nottingham on Thursday, drawing both smiles from loyal fans and anger from critics over the cost and contrast with local deprivation.
Meghan Markle arrived wearing a £1,400 wool and cashmere coat in St Ann's, one of the most deprived areas in the country, where nearly 80 per cent of children live in low-income families.
Contrast with 2017 Visit
The visit stood in stark contrast to their 2017 trip to the city, when hundreds of people lined a narrow city centre street to catch a glimpse of the freshly-engaged couple. This time, the small crowd of loyal fans was smiling, but thousands more were fuming at the gall of their pseudo-Royal circus.
Their tour around community projects in St Ann's, Hyson Green and Sneinton was worthy and no doubt gave a boost to those who give their all to these organisations year in, year out. The couple have handed over significant amounts of cash to these projects.
Cost to Taxpayers
But once they've jaunted back to their cosseted life, questions remain about what is left. There will be a cost to the Nottingham taxpayer, although the exact amount is unknown. City Council Community Protection Officers were diverted from other duties to provide crowd reassurance in St Ann's outside the Community Recording Studio. Council-owned barriers were placed outside to keep the crowd in check, and a single Nottinghamshire Police car blocked the road.
In Sneinton, while the couple visited Epic Partners, an unmarked police car blocked the road. A plastic chair with a sign saying "no one past this point please" was also used ineffectively for crowd control. None of this is free, raising the question of why taxpayers are paying for the activities of what Buckingham Palace itself calls 'private citizens'.
Local Struggles and Contrasts
Nottingham has had its struggles, having just emerged from effective bankruptcy as a city, which got so bad that Government commissioners had to step in. The fountains in Old Market Square can't be repaired because it would cost too much. The Council House needs repairs to the roof, and the old Debenhams has been empty since 2021, while yobs often run riot inside its empty corridors. Tram drivers are going on strike for more pay this winter, and the council felt moved to ban balaclavas.
Despite all this, things are just starting to look up. For the first time in living memory, council tax will be frozen. The site of the former Broadmarsh shopping centre is now a green oasis in the centre of the city. A huge £20m underspend has been earmarked for youth services, and libraries are extending their opening hours again.
The average household income in St Ann's is £27,000 a year, and the child poverty rate in St Ann's and Hyson Green sits at 45 per cent. Buying school uniform is a struggle, never mind stepping out in a coat that costs more than their household brings in every month.
Reaction and Aftermath
The reaction to their visit in the newsdesk email has been overwhelming, and not in a positive way. People all over the world have reminded the newsroom that the couple are private individuals. One even pointed out: "You may have private citizens lurking around looking for attention so beware."
In Hyson Green, well-wishers had taken time out of their day to wait for a glimpse of the couple on Gregory Boulevard outside the Himmah Hub community kitchen. Yet, after the cooking session inside, the Duke and Duchess were quietly escorted out of a rear exit for their next stop, leaving a street of waiting fans disappointed, some still clutching flowers they hoped to give them.
For all the talk of community support, when the circus packs up and moves on, the people who actually live here are left standing on the pavement, holding flowers, waiting for a reality that has already driven away.
