Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unexpectedly reunited with VERY familiar face from their royal days in Nottingham

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were joined by a former Kensington Palace aide during their trip to Nottingham last week. 

Beth Herlihy accompanied the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they made their first joint outing in the UK in six years last Thursday. 

The former Hollyoaks actress previously worked for the royal family and led the events team at the Royal Foundation, which was at the time the joint charitable arm for the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Sussexes. 

After Harry and Meghan split from Prince William and Catherine's Foundation in 2018, she stayed on with the Sussexes and is now their programme coordinator. 

Last Thursday, Beth and her PR firm co-founder Clara Loughran were spotted by Harry and Meghan's side in Nottingham. 

Wearing a subtle brown jumper and black trousers, Beth was pictured next to the Sussexes as they completed their walkabout at the Community Recording Studio (CRS), before ushering them into each of their engagements.

She helped them carry flowers and balloons, gifted to them by well-wishers, and was part of the team to organise schoolchildren to stand in line. 

Who is Beth Herlihy, Harry and Meghan's close aide?

Beth, who holds a Master's degree in acting from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, once starred in Channel 4's Hollyoaks. 

After a career transition to PR, she worked as an account executive at Goodwood and gained experience in television production at Elstree Studios.

She founded her PR firm Herlihy Loughran in 2020 with Clara, who also used to work for Harry as his programme manager and helped co-ordinate the Sussexes' royal wedding in 2018.

Clara is married to Harry's ex-assistant communications secretary, Nick Loughran, now a trustee at the Prince's Invictus Games Foundation. 

Beth was previously made a member of the Royal Victorian Order by the late Queen, on Harry's recommendation.

She has joined Harry and Meghan on several recent outings, and travelled with them to Germany for the Invictus Games in 2023, where she was spotted chatting with Harry as they watched the wheelchair basketball.

Beth also attended the one-year countdown event for the 2025 Invictus Games in Whistler, Canada.

"Beth’s career has centred on trusted, relationship-led work in senior and high-profile environments, helping clients translate ambition into meaningful, well-executed outcomes," a bio on her PR firm's website reads. 

Significance of Prince Harry and Meghan's return to Nottingham

Last Thursday, Harry and Meghan visited Nottingham for a run of three quasi-royal appearances in the city. 

The pair went straight to greet the crowds of well-wishers, just like a traditional royal walkabout.

HELLO!'s Royal Editor, Emily Nash, said afterwards: "This felt like their relaunch, if you like. There's no two ways about it: half-in, half-out royals. 

"They do seem to be doing exactly what they were told they couldn't do under the terms of the Sandringham Summit in 2020. And it felt a little bit like the last six years just never happened.

"It looked to all intents and purposes like a royal engagement. Technically it wasn't - they're not doing it on behalf of the institution. But it absolutely followed the format. It's really confused people because this is what they walked away from, what they said they didn't want to do anymore."