--- title: Harry and Meghan's Nottingham return carried every hallmark of a royal engagement except the title description: The Sussexes chose Nottingham, scene of their first engagement walkabout in 2017, for their first joint outing since moving back to Britain. author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) date: 2026-10-24T11:19:25.982Z updated: 2026-10-24T11:19:25.994Z canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/harry-meghan-nottingham-return-royal-engagement image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/pexels-32957317.webp categories: Royals & Society content_type: Feature region: England publication: Rich Woman Magazine --- On an October morning, a crowd of schoolchildren gathered outside a recording studio in St Ann's, Nottingham, to wait for a couple who no longer carry out royal duties. When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived, everything that followed looked familiar. There were cheers, outstretched hands, selfies and handshakes. A woman pressed a large bouquet into Meghan's arms and hugged her, and the Duchess looked visibly moved. Another woman called out 'We love you, Duchess Meghan' as the couple walked inside. It was the first time Harry and Meghan had appeared together in public in Britain since they moved back from California with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. They chose the one city where the symbolism could not be missed. ## Nottingham was the city of their first walkabout as an engaged couple On 1st December 2017, days after their engagement was announced, Harry brought his American fiancée to Nottingham for her first official engagement. The couple visited a World AIDS Day charity fair run by the Terrence Higgins Trust and then a school working on the Full Effect programme against youth violence. Hundreds of people lined the streets of the Lace Market to chant their names. Harry had visited the city several times before and wanted Meghan to meet the young people he had told her about. Nine years later, the couple went back to the place where their public life together began. ## Every stop on the day had a history with the couple The programme was built around organisations the Sussexes have supported for years, which gave the day the warmth of a reunion. The first stop was the Community Recording Studio, a youth charity that uses music, performance and sport to help young people build confidence and practical skills. Harry has worked with the studio for more than a decade, and a £1.1 million donation he announced last year has supported its work. 'It's great to be back,' Harry said, adding that it was wonderful to be back in Nottingham too. The second stop belonged to Meghan. At Himmah Hub, the largest food bank in central England, she was reunited with four of the women behind 'Together: Our Community Cookbook', the 2018 book created by the Hubb Community Kitchen after the Grenfell Tower fire. Meghan had given £10,000 from the book's proceeds to Himmah. One of the women, Leila Hedjem, said the group felt protective of the Duchess and loved her dearly. The couple joined a cooking session and helped pack food parcels for local families. The final visit was to Epic Partners, which offers sport, education and mentoring to disadvantaged young people and connects back to the couple's 2017 visit. ## The format was unmistakably royal If you followed royal walkabouts in the 2010s, you would have recognised the shape of the day. The Associated Press reported that the visit came with an announcement using the couple's Sussex titles and a prearranged media pool following their movements. Archewell, the philanthropic venture that led their work in the United States, barely featured. Meghan wore a long burgundy coat, and at all three stops the couple paused to talk, hug and pose for photographs with the people waiting for them. Some of those people had been there the first time. Robin Warrener, who stood in the Nottingham crowd in 2017, said it was a pleasure to see the couple back and a welcome change from the negative coverage that fills the news. ## Much has changed since 2017 The crowd was smaller this time. Reuters counted about 100 schoolchildren and well-wishers, alongside a large press presence, compared with the flag-waving hundreds of 2017. Polls show a majority of Britons hold a negative view of the couple, although younger people are far more sympathetic. The couple's status has also changed. In a letter sent on behalf of King Charles to senior government officials after their return, the palace confirmed that Harry and Meghan remain non-working members of the royal family, will not use the style His or Her Royal Highness and will carry out charity work as private citizens. Their return has brought practical difficulties as well. The family's new home is not a royal residence and its location has been kept private. Archie and Lilibet moved to a new school shortly after the start of term over security concerns, and Harry continues to press for publicly funded police protection. ## Harry has spoken of wanting his children to know their grandfather Relations between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family broke down after the couple left in 2020. In recent months, the tone has softened. Harry has said he hopes to rebuild his relationship with his father and wants Archie and Lilibet to have the chance to know the King, who is 77. For the young musicians at the Community Recording Studio, the volunteers at Himmah and the mentors at Epic Partners, the Sussexes' return has already brought money, attention and two familiar faces back through the door. On Thursday, Nottingham gave the couple the kind of welcome they received as newly engaged royals, and Harry and Meghan gave the city a full day of their time in return.