Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first joint appearance since moving back to Britain, visiting a number of community organizations in Nottingham, England on October 15. A crowd of well-wishers and members of the media witnessed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s return to public life in the U.K., and one royal editor pointed out that there was an interesting way in which the outing was handled.
Russell Myers, royal editor of the Daily Mirror, told "The Royals Uncensored" show that he found it “absolutely fascinating” how the Sussexes—who headed back to the city where they had their first official royal engagement in 2017—widely publicized the event despite their previous fears over security.
He pointed out that for working members of the Royal Family, operational notes are sent out to the media that list the details of the event, and they’re often embargoed until the royals arrive or depart the location to avoid large crowds gathering.
“There was no such action for Harry and Meghan,” Myers said. “Anyone could have reported this.”
In the past, Prince Harry has been vocal about how he wouldn't bring his wife or children to the U.K. because of their lack of taxpayer-funded police protection. However, even though the Duke of Sussex is waiting on a review of his security status, his situation remains unchanged, and any member of the public could have turned up in Nottingham and known exactly where the Sussexes were going.
Myers said the couple would have “wanted crowds there and to create some sort of buzz" for the organizations, but that notion is also “totally at odds with not being able to go out your front door because you fear for your own safety.”
As recently as May 2025, the Duke of Sussex claimed he couldn't imagine a situation in which he'd ever bring Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to Britain.
"I can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point,” he told the BBC at the time, adding that they're going to miss "everything" that he experienced growing up there.
According to Myers, they Sussexes were joined by their private security team and "community support officers" in Nottingham, but according to Jan Moir of the Daily Mail, who stood in the crowd Thursday, there was also a police presence. Moir wrote that she witnessed “backup from Nottingham Police” along with “at least one unmarked police car and one traffic police car in attendance."
“Three community policemen were also on hand to help with crowd control, but their services were not required,” she added.