Sky News interrupted its regular programming to air breaking news coverage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first joint engagement since returning to the UK. The broadcaster showed a live feed from Nottingham, where the couple greeted fans, including locals and schoolchildren lined up behind barriers.
The Duke and Duchess interacted with the crowds, marking their first joint public appearance in England since the late Queen Elizabeth's funeral in 2022.
First joint appearance in Nottingham
Sky News presenter Gareth Barlow reported: "They return to Nottingham, the city in which they made their first joint appearance after announcing their engagement back in 2017. There are three charities that they'll be spending their time with today," as he pointed out: "A very animated Prince Harry there, locked in a conversation, with the pair of them shaking hands, bending down and taking selfies."
Barlow identified the charities as the Community Recording Studio, Himmah—central England's largest foodbank—and Epic Partner, which provides mentoring to young people in the region. He added: "Harry has worked with Community Recording Studio and Epic Partners for the best part of a decade. Meghan first linked to Himmah back in 2018."
Warm reception in the city
Lisa Dowd, reporting live from Nottingham, said: "They're well aware that they'll get a warm reception from this city that they hold close to their hearts and the city holds them close to their hearts as well. They know how much time, particularly Harry, has spent here working with the organisations that he supports, donating not only his time but also his money as well to support these charities. Considerable amounts of money as well that he's donated."
Dowd added: "The aim of the community recording studio that they are slowly making their way into to support the young people, in this area who are affected by violence and crime, showing them a new way to go, showing them music and acting."
Meghan reportedly replaced in The Gentlemen
The visit comes after reports suggested that Meghan's rumoured appearance in the upcoming third season of Netflix's The Gentlemen had been scrapped and that she had been replaced by Trainspotting star Robert Carlyle.
A source told The Sun: "The Gentlemen is going from strength to strength and everyone is desperate to make it work. Robert is an industry icon and Theo himself made it clear he wanted him to be part of the show."
The show's lead star, Theo James, previously admitted: "In terms of people I would like to see on the show, I would like someone psychopathic like old-school Robbie Carlyle."
But the source claimed: "Meghan, though, is now out of contention. There was a meeting, but it's been decided she won't be part of the cast." Sources previously claimed her "offer was withdrawn" after "intense backlash" from UK audiences, with former Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Tina Brown claiming: "It became untenable to go forward." However, other insiders claimed that no formal offer was made and that only an initial meeting had taken place.
