It’s almost like another It’s A Royal Knock Out. And as the rival teams line up, the first oh-so-jolly game is “Spot The Difference!” On the home side, under the banner bearing the Crown, we have “The Working Royals”. And on the away team, with their freedom flag, we have the “Private Citizens”.
To be fair, Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has insisted that he and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,
are not private citizens – however loudly the Palace doth protest. If they can’t be royal, then they class themselves as “public figures”. But judging by their first joint outing since returning to the UK – an awayday in Nottingham – nothing has really changed from when they were working royals.
It was all meticulously planned, just like the visits from their past life. It was no coincidence that Nottingham, the city where it all began, was chosen for this high-profile return. On a chilly December day in 2017, shortly after announcing their engagement, Harry presented his fiancée to enthusiastic crowds in Nottingham. She looked a little shy at times, but launched herself into her first royal walkabout. They loved her – and so did the press. “She’s a natural,” they crowed, adding that she’d passed her royal initiation with flying colours.
A great deal has happened since then. But now they are back. And it all looked so familiar. The crowds, although not huge, were adoring. Meghan was showered with huge bouquets, balloons and gifts for her children. Harry was cheered, hugged and in great demand for selfies. But Meghan was the star of this show and, just like William with Catherine, Harry had to keep hurrying his wife along so they didn’t get too late.
Behind the scenes, the visit had been organised like a carbon copy of a “working royal” trip. After Harry’s prolonged squabble with the press and his decision to ditch the royal rota (the Palace system for allotting media access to events) the Sussexes have now set up their own rota arrangement. Here, though, if you’re nifty, you can indeed spot a slight difference: they have deployed a power of veto and at least one tabloid is very much persona non grata. You might remember that Harry recently suffered a comprehensive defeat in his legal action against Associated Newspapers, publishers of the Mail and the Mail on Sunday. Displease the Sussexes. Their spokesman insists they are open to genuine scrutiny. We shall see.
Detailed briefing notes were issued in advance of the visit, with background information about the charities involved. Timings were published so that the Sussex fans would know where to gather and cheer. This was a royal engagement in all but name, and it’s beginning to look like a rival court.
Many would argue that Harry and Meghan have been less than loyal to the Crown. They have dumped their royal life and duties, and lobbed barbed insults at their UK family. They have caused the King untold grief and forced a seemingly unbridgeable rift with William and Catherine.
However, they cannot be accused of disloyalty to the charities they supported as working royals. And in Nottingham, they renewed their links with community projects close to their hearts. In Harry’s case, his support for the Community Recording Studio, a youth and community charity based in the city, dates back to 2013. Meghan’s association with the women from Grenfell Tower and their cookery hub remains one of her most meaningful causes.
Predictably, the Duke and Duchess were welcomed back by their charities with open arms. No-one cared whether they were working royals or royals out working.
In the end, what does it matter? What’s in a name or a label? These are two people who want to use their position in life – however it’s classed – to do a bit of good, here and there, on their own terms. It won’t please William and it will steal the limelight from the other royals. For a while, at least. So they’ll all just have to get over it.