Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revisit Nottingham in first joint UK appearance since return |
Cheering crowds, flowers and excited schoolchildren welcomed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle back to Nottingham on Thursday. Nearly nine years after the city became the setting for their first joint public appearance following their engagement announcement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned for a day focused on charities and community projects they have supported.The visit marked their first joint public appearance in the UK since returning to Britain in August 2026, after spending six years living in the United States. But this was not an official royal tour. The couple attended as private citizens, meeting people involved in local organisations and revisiting causes they believe in. According to the BBC’s live coverage, their first stop was the Community Recording Studio (CRS), a youth charity in Nottingham’s St Ann’s neighbourhood.
Why Prince Harry and Meghan returned to Nottingham
Nottingham has a history with the couple that goes beyond a royal visit. On 1 December 2017, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first joint official engagement in the city, shortly after announcing their engagement.This time, their visit centred on three community organisations: the Community Recording Studio, Himmah Hub and Epic Partners. Their spokesperson told the BBC that the couple wanted to revisit projects they were personally invested in, meet the people involved and see how their work had developed.Outside CRS, the couple greeted well-wishers, shook hands and stopped for photographs. Meghan also received flowers from people waiting to see them.
Prince Harry’s connection with the Community Recording Studio
Prince Harry’s relationship with CRS dates back to 2013, when he first visited the organisation. The charity uses music, creative activities, sport and mentoring to help young people build confidence and develop practical skills.The visit also highlighted the impact of his previous support. In September 2025, Prince Harry announced a £1.1 million donation to BBC Children in Need to support young people affected by violence, including work connected with CRS and Epic Partners.During the October 2026 visit, Prince Harry met youth mentor and Nottingham musician Jah Digga, who attended the centre as a child. Meghan Markle joined a confidence-building workshop for girls, while the couple also observed an acting session.CRS chief executive Trevor Rose told the BBC that the visit had come together unexpectedly, with the organisation learning about the plans only a few weeks earlier.
Meghan Markle’s food poverty work and the couple’s other stops
The couple’s schedule also included Himmah Hub, a Nottingham organisation tackling food poverty, and Epic Partners, which supports children and young people through sport, mentoring and youth programmes.Meghan Markle has a separate connection to food-related community work. In 2018, she supported the Hubb Community Kitchen cookbook, created with women affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. She later donated £10,000 from the cookbook’s proceeds to Himmah, according to reporting on the visit.The Nottingham engagements brought these different causes together, from youth development and creative opportunities to food access and community support.
What the Nottingham visit means for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return comes with an important distinction: they are no longer working members of the royal family. Their public appearances now reflect the causes and organisations they choose to support independently.For Nottingham, however, the connection is longstanding. Nearly nine years after their first joint engagement there, the couple returned to meet the people behind projects they have continued to support.The visit was a reminder that, despite the changes in their public roles, their charitable work remains a central part of how they engage with communities in Britain.
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