The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a new statement about their visit to Nottingham that contained an error, with two sentences repeated back-to-back in the second and third paragraphs on their official website.
The couple were welcomed to the Community Recording Studio (CRS) in St Ann's, Nottingham, for a run of three quasi-royal public appearances in the city. In the statement from their official office, the duke and duchess spoke about Nottingham, declaring that "it's great to be back".
They said they spent the day "reconnecting with the community they have long supported," adding that it was a "special homecoming" for them, as they first visited the city in December 2017, shortly after their engagement. The rest of the statement detailed each one of the three visits to charitable causes linked to the couple.
Statement Highlights Community Strength
The statement added that the day highlighted the strength of Nottingham's community organisations, which were "evident". It said: "For The Duke and Duchess, returning to Nottingham was an opportunity to reconnect with a community close to their hearts and reflect on what comes next.
"Across the work here, a common thread emerged: opportunity grows through relationships built over time, the commitment of people who support one another, and places where everyone feels a sense of belonging."
Criticism of 'Royal Cosplay'
The Sussex couple have been criticised for going on a "cosplay" royal walkabout during their first day of joint engagements on British soil since their return to the UK. During their first engagement, the Sussexes made a beeline for the crowds of well-wishers, just like a traditional royal walkabout – smiling, shaking hands, giving hugs and taking selfies with the members of the public for 20 minutes. They got mobbed by fans who wanted to see them as they departed.
Various well-respected figures within the royal community have criticised Thursday's appearance of "royal cosplay". The Telegraph's royal editor Hannah Furness said that the Sussexes are back to what they said they don't want.
She said: "Harry and Meghan are back to Nottingham 'back to hand-picked charity visits they still call engagements, and back to walkabouts. Back to accepting flowers, inviting the press to cover them, and doling out hugs to anyone in the vicinity.
"Back to the life they said they did not want, except this time with none of the boring bits, or the duty that being a working royal entails."
Royal Editors Weigh In
Furness said Thursday felt like "a bit of a challenge to the King", who, alongside the late Queen Elizabeth, hoped that "a line could be drawn between the working family and the selling of jam".
Meanwhile, The Times' royal editor Kate Mansey claimed that despite quitting the Royal Family six years ago, the Sussexes organised a "day full of royal déjà vu moments". She also claimed that their appearance left Palace courtiers describing the situation as "intensely frustrating".
