The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to public life in the UK for their first joint appearance since relocating to London in August, but their stop in Nottingham on Thursday disappointed some supporters. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended three separate events across the city, engaging with local charities and well-wishers. However, despite the crowds waiting outside each venue, the couple did not pause to greet fans or even acknowledge their presence during the visit.
Johannes Sharland, a resident of Nottingham, described the crowd’s frustration after spending hours waiting in the hope of catching a moment with the Sussexes. “Myself, plus the rest of the crowd, were very disappointed that after their lunch they did not come out to speak to some of us, a wave, they missed the bouquets of flowers,” Sharland said. “I was waiting for quite a long time from 12pm, but I was happy to see them when they did arrive,” she added. “I expected them to come back out again, but they [just left]. I’d never seen them before.”
This marked the first time the couple had appeared together since their return, following months of uncertainty over their public schedule. Their itinerary in Nottingham followed a pattern similar to their earlier royal engagements, including stops at charities they had previously supported.
On the same day, Prince William and Princess Kate made an unpublicized trip to Cornwall, their movements listed only in the Court Circular. The contrast showed the differing approaches between the two royal branches, with the Sussexes drawing media attention while the Prince and Princess of Wales maintained a lower profile.
By the end of the day, the couple had completed their scheduled events and departed without further public engagement. The lack of any farewell or acknowledgment of the waiting fans reinforced the sense that, while their visit was well-organized, it had failed to meet a core expectation of royal appearances.
Their engagements included visits to organizations they had supported before, such as the Community Recording Studio in St Ann’s, Nottingham, where they met with staff and patrons.