Meghan Markle was spotted in London today just a short distance from the first royal home she lived in with Prince Harry. The Duchess of Sussex was seen arriving for lunch at The Park restaurant near Kensington Palace, looking happy and at ease.
The duchess is making her first official public appearance in Nottingham tomorrow since returning to the UK. She was believed to have been meeting her former hairstylist George Northwood, who worked with Meghan many times when she was a working royal, including on her 2018 wedding day. The pair kept in touch despite the Duchess and her family moving to the US.
Lunch Meeting Details
It is not known whether the lunch was about George styling Meghan’s hair again or simply a friendly catch-up. As reported by Hello! Magazine, the lunch lasted for around two hours. Meghan appeared to be accompanied by a member of her and Harry’s security team. She wore cropped jeans, a black blazer and nude heels for the smart lunch.
It is not known if Meghan has visited the restaurant before, which is very close to Kensington Palace, where she and Harry lived in a cottage on the grounds. The cottage, Nottingham Cottage, was where Harry and Meghan got engaged.
Royal History and Current Residence
They lived at the relatively humble cottage for some time together, eventually moving to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor when they were married. This was a home gifted to them by the late Queen Elizabeth II on their wedding day. After quitting royal life in 2020 and moving to America, Harry and Meghan still held the keys to Frogmore Cottage. However, these were given back to King Charles in 2023 on his request.
While Meghan may be no stranger to the area around Kensington Palace, this is not where the family is living now since relocating to the UK in August. Instead, the family reportedly have set up home outside of London. They live in a non-royal abode, with the location being kept under wraps for security reasons. The couple’s children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, attend a school close to the family’s new home.
George Northwood's Friendship
Prince Harry did not accompany his wife to the lunch in London today. Instead, it is believed to have been simply Meghan and George. While George has rarely spoken about his friendship with Meghan, he did once confirm that they kept in touch after she moved to the US. He had first met Harry’s wife when she was looking for a hairdresser in 2018.
Talking about his friendship with Meghan to British Vogue a while ago, George once said how the pair “hit it off” immediately after meeting. After she moved to America, he said: “We align on so many values and things she stands for are close to my heart. It’s a new chapter, obviously we aren’t living in the same country but I still check in all the time. She puts so much thought into everything, she really has your back and supports small businesses. Working with them was an enormous privilege and I enjoyed every minute – we created some iconic moments.”
