Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are officially back in the public spotlight together, and the Duchess of Sussex is making it clear that she's happy to be back in the place she once called home.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped out in Nottingham, England, on Thursday, October 15, marking their first official joint public engagement since relocating to the United Kingdom from California in August 2026.
© AFP via Getty ImagesThe couple received an enthusiastic welcome from well-wishers as they arrived at the Community Recording Studio, a youth-focused charity that supports young people through music, creative activities, mentoring and personal development.
And Meghan, 45, had a simple message for those excited to see her return. “Oh it’s great to be back,” she told a woman in the crowd, according to reports from the event.
The outing marked a return to a city that holds special significance in Meghan and Harry's relationship, while offering a glimpse at how the couple may approach their charitable work now that they're living in Britain again.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Receive a Warm Welcome in Nottingham
Meghan and Harry, 42, were greeted by cheering supporters as they arrived for the first of three scheduled charitable engagements in Nottingham. The couple appeared relaxed and affectionate, smiling for photographs, shaking hands, exchanging hugs and taking selfies with members of the public.
© Getty ImagesMeghan was also presented with flowers during the visit.
At one point, the Duchess of Sussex turned her attention to a subject that almost everyone in Britain can appreciate: a little sunshine. “We’ve got lovely weather today. We got lucky,” she told a well-wisher, according to reports.
Harry also interacted with the crowd, complimenting one woman's bright pink jacket and stopping to speak with a young child.
The couple shared affectionate moments throughout the walkabout, with Harry placing his hand on Meghan's back and the two occasionally wrapping their arms around each other.
Their appearance had many of the familiar elements of a traditional royal engagement, despite the fact that Prince Harry and Meghan are no longer working members of the British royal family.
© Getty ImagesNottingham Holds Special Meaning for Meghan Markle
For longtime royal watchers, the location of Meghan and Harry's first official joint outing since their U.K. return was particularly meaningful. Nottingham was the setting for Meghan's first official royal engagement alongside Harry in December 2017, shortly after the couple announced their engagement.
Nearly nine years later, they returned to the city as a married couple and parents of two children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5.
© Getty ImagesTheir first stop, the Community Recording Studio in St Ann's, also reflects Harry's longstanding interest in supporting young people through creative opportunities and community programs.
During Thursday's visit, Harry reconnected with youth mentor Jah Digga, while Meghan participated in a confidence-building session with girls. The couple toured the facilities and spent time learning about the organization's programs, which aim to help young people develop skills, confidence and opportunities through the arts.
Meghan Markle Reconnects With Her Charitable Work in the U.K.
The Nottingham visit also highlighted causes that have been important to Meghan since her early years as a working royal. Among the couple's planned stops was Himmah Hub, connected to community food support and the women involved in the Hubb Community Kitchen.
Meghan previously worked with women affected by the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, helping bring attention to their community cooking initiative through Together: Our Community Cookbook, published in 2018.
© GettyImagesThe cookbook became one of Meghan's most recognizable early charitable projects, celebrating the role food can play in bringing communities together.
Another scheduled stop was Epic Partners, a nonprofit organization that supports children and young people through mentoring, sports and programs designed to help those affected by trauma or social exclusion.
© AFP via Getty ImagesWhy Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Moved Back to the U.K.
Meghan and Harry's return to Britain represents a significant change for the couple, who stepped back from senior royal duties in 2020 and subsequently established their family home in Montecito, California. After approximately six years in the United States, the Sussexes relocated to the U.K. in August 2026 with Archie and Lilibet.
The family is now reportedly living in the Cotswolds, with their children attending school in Britain.
Although the couple has not publicly explained every detail behind their decision to return, Harry has offered some insight into how the family is adjusting. During a September interview with Canadian television network CTV, the Duke of Sussex said: “It’s been great to be back on British soil.”
© MeghanMarkle/IGHe added: “The kids are happy in school and it gives me a chance to really focus on Invictus in Birmingham.”
Harry was referring to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, an upcoming edition of the international sporting event he founded to support wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. When asked why his family decided to return to Britain, Harry said there were “lots of reasons,” without elaborating.
Harry had already begun making solo public appearances in Britain before Thursday's joint engagement with Meghan.
© Getty ImagesOn September 17, he attended the inaugural Invictus Spirit Gala Dinner and Awards in London, where he discussed the family's first weeks back in the country. Asked about the highlight of his return, Harry responded with a playful question. “My highlight so far? Oh, I don't know. Would I dare share it with you?”
He then acknowledged that the transition had been busy. “The last two weeks have been…it's been eventful,” Harry said. He continued: “But, you know, we're getting stuck into the work. Kids are in school. We're happy.”
While Archie and Lilibet did not accompany their parents to Thursday's engagements, Harry's recent comments indicate that their children's education and happiness remain central to the family's new chapter.
