Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have returned to Nottingham for a series of charity visits, revisiting the city where they made their first joint public appearance as an engaged couple in 2017.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were welcomed by a crowd of more than 100 people during their first official public appearance together in the UK since attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.
Meghan accepted flowers, balloons and cards from well-wishers, while the couple stopped to chat, shake hands and pose for selfies. Harry was also seen placing an arm around his wife as they greeted members of the public.
The visit marked a notable return to a city associated with the beginning of their engagement, although their professional lives have changed considerably since their previous appearance there.
Meghan Markle Makes a Fashion Statement in British Designer Labels
Meghan used the Nottingham visit to showcase an understated autumn wardrobe built around shades of brown, burgundy and plum.
The Duchess wore an oversized mahogany-coloured cashmere coat by British label Joseph, valued at approximately £1,495, over a £345 dark-brown crew-neck top from the same brand. She paired the outfit with a £175 plum pencil skirt by The Fold and what appeared to be a £26 belt from Marks & Spencer.
Completing the look was a Joseph woven-leather handbag priced at £695 and burgundy Lorenzo 105 heels from London-based designer Jennifer Chamandi, worth £650.
Her overall outfit was estimated to cost £3,386, presenting a coordinated example of tonal dressing while highlighting British fashion brands.
Meghan wore her hair pulled tightly back into a ponytail and opted to go bare-legged despite the autumn weather. Her choice of neutral colours and relatively discreet accessories contrasted with the more conventional royal-inspired outfit she wore during the couple’s first Nottingham visit.
How Her Nottingham Look Has Changed Since 2017
When Harry and Meghan visited Nottingham in November 2017, shortly after announcing their engagement, the former actress wore a fitted navy double-breasted coat by Mackage over a black roll-neck top.
She completed that outfit with a beige midi skirt and black over-the-knee boots from Kurt Geiger.
One accessory attracted particular attention: a £595 midi tote from Scottish luxury brand Strathberry. The handbag sold out following Meghan’s appearance, helping to bring the Edinburgh-based company to a wider international audience and illustrating the commercial influence that became known as the “Meghan Effect”.
Harry also dressed formally for the occasion, wearing an overcoat with a cashmere scarf tucked around his neck.
Their latest appearance presented a different image. Harry left his coat and scarf behind, while Meghan embraced a more relaxed but carefully coordinated designer look. He also appeared less visibly cheerful than during their 2017 walkabout, although the couple continued to engage with supporters.
Duchess Leaves Her Engagement Ring at Home
Meghan’s jewellery choices attracted attention because she did not wear the diamond engagement ring Harry gave her when he proposed in 2017.
The ring, estimated to be worth around £120,000, was absent despite Nottingham being the location of the couple’s first joint walkabout after their engagement announcement.
Meghan has not been publicly photographed wearing the ring since February 2026, when she attended an NBA game in California.
Instead, she wore her wedding band, a gold ring on her right hand and an Oura fitness tracker housed in a custom diamond-encrusted gold sleeve by Logan Hollowell.
She also wore the Cartier Tank Française watch associated with Princess Diana, valued at approximately £17,800. The watch was gifted to Meghan after her marriage to Harry and has become a familiar part of her jewellery collection.
The absence of the engagement ring does not, by itself, establish a reason for her decision.
The Story Behind Harry’s Engagement Ring
Harry proposed to Meghan in 2017 with a ring designed by Cleave & Company, the jeweller regularly used by Queen Elizabeth II.
The prince reportedly took a ring from Meghan’s jewellery collection to help the designers determine her size. He also arranged for diamonds from one of Princess Diana’s bracelets to be incorporated into the design as a tribute to his late mother.
The engagement ring is believed to have undergone several alterations since the proposal.
In June 2019, Meghan was seen wearing a version with a thinner band and additional diamonds along the sides. Royal biographer Omid Scobie reported in Finding Freedom that Harry had initiated the decision to have the ring resized and reset. Celebrity jeweller Lorraine Schwartz was quoted describing him as romantic and thoughtful.
Further speculation followed Meghan’s appearance at the Invictus Games in The Hague in 2022, when observers believed the setting around the central diamond had changed.
The ring was also missing from several public appearances in 2023, reportedly while a loose stone was being repaired. In 2025, royal watchers commented on the apparent shape of the central diamond in a trailer for Meghan’s Netflix series, which was subsequently cancelled.
However, the precise details of every reported alteration have not been publicly confirmed.
More Than 100 Supporters Gather to Welcome the Sussexes
The crowd gathered in Nottingham to greet the couple, with Meghan accepting bouquets of yellow and white flowers and balloons, including one shaped like a unicorn.
At one point, she kissed 90-year-old Irene Hardman, who had also been present during their 2017 visit and returned with a framed photograph from that day.
Meghan appeared touched by the welcome, bowing and placing her hands against her chest as supporters cheered. She also stopped to speak to members of the public and pose for photographs.
Emily Davis, 21, who gave the Duchess a bunch of yellow flowers, described meeting her as an honour.
Davis told the Press Association that she had wanted to meet Meghan for a long time. She said the Duchess looked impressive in person and had accepted a card she had written, which included a message about how much Meghan inspired her.
Other conversations were more light-hearted. One young boy asked Meghan whether she lived in a mansion, while another member of the public asked whether she owned a Bentley. Harry complimented a woman on her bright pink jacket.
The couple were greeted by Trevor Rose, chief executive of the Community Recording Studio, before entering the building. Supporters cheered as they disappeared inside the community hub.
Charity Visits Include Recording Studio and Food Projects
The Nottingham programme includes visits to three charitable organisations and community initiatives.
The first stop is the Community Recording Studio, where Meghan is scheduled to participate in an acting workshop. The couple will also visit the Himmah food bank, alongside the Hubb Community Kitchen and Epic Partners, which provides sports mentoring for children aged four to 18.
The Hubb Community Kitchen holds particular significance for Meghan. It was established following the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, which killed 72 people, and became one of her longstanding charitable interests.
Meghan wrote the foreword to the group’s 2018 cookbook, Together, which brought attention to the women who came together through cooking and community support after the tragedy.
The Sussexes’ return to Nottingham therefore combines a personal connection to the city with their continuing involvement in charitable work.
Meghan’s Public Appearances Expected to Remain Limited
Despite the royal-style reception, Meghan is not returning to life as a working member of the Royal Family.
A source close to the Duchess said her public appearances alongside Harry would probably remain relatively uncommon, explaining that she has competing responsibilities involving family life, business and potential acting projects.
“She’s a full-time mum and entrepreneur,” the source said, adding that her schedule is no longer organised around an official programme prepared by a royal private secretary.
Meghan has reportedly been reading scripts as she considers her next professional steps. She is also working on her lifestyle brand, As Ever, which she hopes to launch in the UK before the end of 2026.
Harry, meanwhile, continues to concentrate on charitable activities and public service, particularly his work with the Invictus Games.
A source quoted by The Telegraph said the couple had different professional priorities, with Harry focused on philanthropy while Meghan was concentrating on their family, her business and a possible return to acting.
Their Nottingham visit illustrates how the couple can still undertake joint public engagements without resuming their former roles as working royals.
As Ever Expands Through New Products and Malala Yousafzai Partnership
Meghan’s business activities have continued alongside her charitable commitments.
During the past fortnight, she has promoted a new advent calendar and announced a collaboration involving Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
For the International Day of the Girl on October 11, Meghan said 100 per cent of the net proceeds from sales of As Ever jams and teas would support the Malala Fund, which works to advance girls’ access to education.
In a statement shared with her 4.9 million Instagram followers, Meghan emphasised the connection between educating girls and empowering women.
The partnership was announced through Archewell Philanthropies, linking the commercial activity of her California-based lifestyle brand with a charitable cause.
The initiative follows a period of increased attention on Meghan’s fashion, business ventures and public appearances. Her return to Nottingham has brought those interests together with a city that remains closely associated with the early days of her relationship with Harry.
