Meghan Markle is set to return to the British public stage this week with a visit to Nottingham. This marks her first formal public engagement in the United Kingdom since 2022. The Duchess of Suss*x will join Prince Harry to visit several community organizations, an appearance that follows recent reports of Prince Harry being booed at a rugby match.
This is the couple’s first joint public engagement in the UK since arriving from California in August. Previously, the Duchess’s official UK appearances were limited to the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022 and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
Nottingham Itinerary and Community Focus
The couple’s schedule in Nottingham focuses on three community organizations:
- Hubb Community Kitchen: A project dedicated to food security and community support.
- The Community Recording Studio: A creative space for local residents.
- Epic Partners: A youth-oriented organization.
The visit to the Hubb Community Kitchen is particularly significant. The initiative was started by women from the Al Manaar mosque to support victims of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, a tragedy that claimed 72 lives.
Context of the Couple’s UK Return
The visit occurs during a period of complex relations between the couple and the British public. After stepping down as senior working royals in January 2020, the couple moved to Southern California to establish Archewell, a collection of for-profit and non-profit organizations. While they returned to the UK in August 2026 for an extended period, they have not resumed official royal duties.
Given the negative reception Prince Harry recently faced at a rugby event, this Nottingham visit is viewed as an effort to re-engage with community-level initiatives and maintain their philanthropic presence in the UK.
Philanthropic History and the Hubb Community Kitchen
The Duchess of Suss*x has a long history with the Hubb Community Kitchen, beginning in January 2018. She visited the kitchen regularly and encouraged the women of Grenfell to publish a cookbook to raise funds for their work.
This led to the publication of Together: Our Community Cookbook. The Duchess has continued to support the project, donating proceeds to charities such as Migrateful, which assists refugees, and Himmah, which supports food banks and the Salaam Shalom Kitchen-the UK’s only combined Muslim and Jewish community kitchen.
The Transition of the Suss*xes’ Public Role
Since leaving official royal duties, the Duke and Duchess have focused on global advocacy and entrepreneurship. Through Archewell, they champion causes including mental health, gender equality, and social justice.
Meghan Markle has also expanded her professional portfolio to include the lifestyle brand As Ever and various Netflix projects, such as the docuseries Harry & Meghan and the series With Love, Meghan. Despite their move away from the royal fold, their engagements in the UK remain a subject of intense media and public scrutiny.
