Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have faced criticism from a royal expert over their Nottingham visit following King Charles’ clarification of their status as private citizens. The Sussexes made their first joint public appearance in the UK since returning on October 15, visiting charities and greeting crowds of supporters. Their interactions with well-wishers prompted one commentator to argue that the outing resembled a traditional royal walkabout.
Royal expert says the Nottingham outing appeared to challenge the King’s position on the Sussexes’ royal role
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly accused of defying King Charles’ position on their royal status following their Nottingham visit. On October 15, the couple made their first joint public appearance in the UK since returning. They visited several charities and greeted well-wishers, with their interactions resembling a traditional royal walkabout.
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told New Magazine (via The Express) that this move might have upset Prince William. It also reportedly challenged Charles’ position and his letter, in which he referred to the Sussexes as private citizens. During their Nottingham visit, the expert said the attention Markle and Harry received, and how they greeted the crowd, wasn’t what private citizens do.
“There was nothing private about it. Charles’s position has been made crystal clear, and the Nottingham visit was a statement of intent by Harry and Meghan,” Larcombe said. “They were just sticking two fingers up at him and saying, ‘You can’t tell us what to do. We’ll do what we want. We’ve had involvement with these organizations in the past, and we’re not stopping just because you’ve issued a letter.’”
The location carried deep symbolic weight for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as Nottingham was the very first city the couple toured together following their engagement announcement in late 2017. Meanwhile, another report claimed that Kate Middleton also allegedly reached a “breaking point” with the Sussexes’ UK appearances.
