The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped out for a joint public visit this week.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are hoping to win over the UK (Image: Karwai Tang/WireImage)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly have a plan to win back the UK’s support, according to a friend of the couple. This week, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex took a major first step since their relocation to Britain in August, stepping out together for a public visit to Nottingham.
While Harry has been out and about in the UK over the last few months attending public events, this was a first for Meghan since the family returned to the UK in the summer. Although nerves were reportedly high about what kind of reaction they would be met with in Nottingham, it seems that Thursday’s visit was a success.
From the moment the car pulled up, the pair were met with cheers, hugs, handshakes and gifts. It is believed this thrilled Meghan and Harry, who, according to a friend, are determined to win over the UK with “low-key” public events.
This includes an attempt to win over people who may be critical of them. As reported by The Daily Mail, a friend of Harry and Meghan’s told Daily Mail’s Editor at Large Alison Boshoff: “They are making efforts to re-enter slowly with humility and hope to win support that way.
“There is no intention to thumb a nose at the King or cause irritation. This sort of work is what makes Harry happy, it is in his DNA. It is nothing to do with relations with the Royal Family.”
The friend continued: “They can achieve great support for charities and intend to do so. There will be more days like [Thursday] going forward.”
He said that “people want the old Harry”.
It seems that Harry and Meghan are also now looking for a new property in the UK, which may suggest they are moving from renting to buying. This indicates that their move to Britain really could be long-term for the family.
This would make sense as Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, now attend schools in the UK. The friend told The Daily Mail that Meghan will be looking more actively at property “soon.”
The couple stepped out in Nottingham together on Thursday (Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
They continued: “I know that they have an agent looking at what is available for them in terms of houses and he is sending everything which might suit to their team to look at virtually. I think it’s about to go up a notch.”
It is not yet known when or what Harry and Meghan’s next joint public engagement in the UK will be. It is believed that the couple remains fully determined to carry out charitable work while in the UK.
It is also rumoured that Meghan is putting a lot of her focus and effort into her As Ever brand, which has just launched a holiday collection. While only available to US customers at the moment, rumours have been circulating that certain goods may be sold in the UK.