The Duchess of Sussex told one woman in the crowd, “Oh it’s great to be back”, as she joined her husband in their first joint visit since their shock return to the UK.
Prince Harry and Meghan have been met by cheering crowds as they visit Nottingham, with the duchess handed several bouquets of flowers and met with shouts of “We love you”.
She was also handed a healing crystal while the Duke was seen animatedly chatting to a group of schoolchildren who had waited for their arrival.
Wearing a long burgundy coat and with her hair tied up, Meghan spent several minutes chatting to well-wishers outside in what marks her first UK public engagement since 2022.
The royal couple set up home in England in August, six years after quitting the monarchy as working royals and relocating to the US.
On Thursday, they will visit the city’s Community Recording Studio (CRS), food poverty community action group Himmah Hub, and Epic Partners, which supports young people through sports programmes and mentoring.
While the high-profile appearance is not an official royal engagement, the duke and duchess are said to consider themselves “public figures”.
It will be the first time in four years that Meghan has appeared publicly at events in the UK – the last time being the late Queen’s funeral in 2022.
Princess Lilibet 'loves' gymnastics, Meghan reveals
Meghan revealed that Princess Lilibet has been enjoying gymnastics.
The duchess joined young girls for a confidence-building and bracelet-making workshop where they discussed what makes them feel most like themselves.
When one youngster said: “I like it when I do gymnastics.
Meghan replied: “Oh yeah. Our daughter is doing that too right now. She loves it.”
The duchess, whose Netflix lifestyle With Love, Meghan show centred around hosting and cooking, added: “I feel most like myself when I’m with my family and also when I’m cooking. I love doing that. I love to cook.”
The duchess also gave the girls advice, saying: “We have to remember to talk to ourselves like we talk to our best friends. It’s really important to be just as kind to yourself.”
In pictures: Royals inside Community Recording Studio
Elderly well-wishers come to see 'as nice as ever' Harry
Irene Hardman, 90, and her friend Mary Cooper, 69, who met when Harry came to the Community Recording Studio in 2013, said the couple are “lovely people”.
Ms Cooper told the Press Association: “I met Irene standing outside here, waiting for Prince Harry to arrive.
“It’s very nice that they’d come back to the same place that Harry’s been to.”
Ms Hardman, who first saw the duke when he was a young child and has supported him since, said she touched his face when he walked past the crowd.
She told PA: “I said ‘you’re still as nice as ever Harry’. He said ‘thank you very much’.”
Meghan says 'It's great to be back'
The Duchess of Sussex told one woman in the crowd: “Oh it’s great to be back”.
At one point Meghan turned her attention to the most British of topics – the weather, telling one member of the public who had gathered in the sunshine: “We’ve got lovely weather today. We got lucky.”
Woman gives Meghan a healing crystal to 'protect and uplift' her
Shani Saviciene, who gave Meghan a healing crystal for “positivity” said she begged to speak to the duchess.
The 30-year-old said: “Meghan was actually on that side (of the pavement). I don’t know if she realised there were fans on this side.
“So then I tapped one of her team members and begged them ‘please, please, please can she come to this side?’
“And then she did, and I said to her, ‘I love you so much. I’ve given one of your team, like, a healing crystal for you’, and she was really grateful.”
Asked why she gave Meghan a crystal, Ms Saviciene said: “I just want her to be protected, uplifted, and just have as much positivity around her as possible.”
King Charles and Camilla to attend opening of Senedd for first time in five years
Meanwhile, the King and Queen are due to attend the ceremonial opening of the Welsh Parliament on Thursday.
This marks the first time King Charles will attend the event as King.
He and Queen Camilla previously joined the ceremony, which takes place following a Senedd election, in 2021 alongside Queen Elizabeth II.
Read the full article here:
Royal couple pictured inside Community Recording Studio
Prince Harry and Meghan have now moved inside the Community Recording Studio, where they are set to learn about their work in providing access to music and recording facilities for young people.
The charity, which was founded in 1991, offers a broad range of creative activities, including sport, mentoring and youth development.
Harry has a long history with the organisation, as his first private visit to the charity took place back in 2013.
While living in the US, he has continued supporting the charity for several years, and made a visit to the community studio in September 2025, when he was in the UK for the annual WellChild Awards.
Well-wisher tells Meghan it is an 'honour' to meet her
Emily Davis, 21, who gave Meghan a bunch of yellow flowers said it was an honour to meet her.
Ms Davis said: “I gave her flowers, and I shook her hand.
“I just said, ‘I’ve always wanted to meet you. It’s an honour’.
“She looks amazing up close. She was dressed amazingly.
“I gave her a card, and she folded up and put it in her pocket so she can read it later.”
Ms Davis said she wrote on the card that Meghan “really inspires” her.
Balloon shaped like a unicorn and flowers handed to couple
Meghan took bunches of yellow and white flowers from supporters who had waited to see her and Harry.
The couple were given balloons, including one in the shape of a unicorn.
The duke stopped to tell one woman he liked her bright pink jacket and that it was “very nice” to see everyone.
Harry and Meghan were greeted by the chief executive of the Community Recording Studio, Trevor Rose, before they entered the building.
The crowd cheered excitedly when the couple disappeared out of view into the community hub.
Harry jokes with schoolchildren
A group of school children could be seen excitedly talking to Prince Harry as he made his way into his first engagement of the day.
"What class are you missing to be here?" Harry asks school pupils in attendance.
He spoke to them about their favourite subjects, and asked what they would be doing in their school holidays.
Meanwhile Meghan, wearing a long burgundy coat and with her hair tied back, asked for a photograph with two women who showed her a laminated picture.
