Prince Harry and Meghan’s blueprint for their UK future has been revealed, almost two months after their unexpected return and as confusion swirls around their plans.
After six years building a life in the ritzy Californian enclave of Montecito, with an initial flurry of media, publishing and commercial deals under their belt and a seemingly idyllic coastal life, their decision in August to pack up and return to the country from which they’d had such a painful split truly felt like a bolt out of the blue.
MORE: Meghan’s ‘ghastly’ move at Diana’s home
With their return to royal-esque visits and engagements, as seen on Thursday, UK time, in Nottingham, one could be forgiven for thinking they’d suddenly woken up back in 2019.
The couple was given a warm welcome by the English city they’ve long had strong ties, no doubt something of a relief given their ever-polarising presence in Britain.
Critics have consistently pointed out that this was exactly the job that they’d so decisively walked away from in 2020 in their bid to find “freedom”.
MORE: ‘Scandalous’: Royal Family’s $260m payday slammed
But, as a friend of Harry and Meghan’s insists, what is now unfolding is actually a return to what they’d always wanted to do – albeit with a spark of defiance, given the King’s recent letter underlining their status as “private individuals” and non-working royals.
(After the unexpected message dropped, a spokesman for the couple said they “were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance”).
“There is no confusion – on their part – about why they’re doing these sorts of engagements.” a close friend told news.com.au.
“It’s very simple. They are doing what they want, when they want, how they want.
“They aren’t taxpayer funded like others, so why shouldn’t they live their lives the way choose?
“Some people get very angry at the idea that they should dare continue to show up and support causes they have been associated with for years, like it is in some way a bad thing to bring a spotlight to a community recording studio or a food bank Nottingham”.
They added: “I don’t get the outrage. They’re fundamentally good people doing good work when they can for good causes”.
These are words likely to further frustrate the large mass of Britons already infuriated at their return and subsequent royal-lite activities – but regardless of some fierce public outcry and that push-back from the Palace itself, they are clearly not planning to change course.
‘They read the headlines’
Meanwhile, despite the fact the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are understood to be feeling settled and happy in the British countryside following their move from the US, it’s not been entirely smooth sailing.
By Harry and Meghan’s own admissions over the years, they stay out of the comments and don’t follow social media conversations, largely shielding them from the almost-constant cycle of negative public reactions online.
And while even someone living under a rock would suspect that Britain wouldn’t exactly be welcoming them back with open arms – you can only imagine that the actual reality of the regular hostility over the last six weeks would still have an impact.
“They have the internet in California,” the source pointed out bluntly.
“In the same way they can read headlines in the US every day from their new home, they had access to the UK papers when they were living in Montecito. They knew what the temperature here was going to be.”
This week’s high-profile Nottingham visit comes just months after Harry and Meghan undertook a number of engagements in a similar style in Australia, which a source confirmed to news.com.au at the time was their blueprint for future activities.
The couple deemed the model used for Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra in April as a success and planned to “press on unapologetically”, the insider said, despite previous backlash over the “half-in, half-out royal” method of operations.
While Harry is understood to be excited to be back on his home soil and throwing himself into his work with the Invictus Games and charities such as Scotty’s Little Soldiers and WellChild, Meghan is mostly focused on growing her As Ever business, including a UK expansion, as well as reading scripts ahead of her planned acting comeback.
Asked whether this week’s joint outing signals the beginning of a regular cycle of engagements, a source close to the couple said it wasn’t the plan. Instead, royal watchers are likely to see them appear together a handful of times a year, in line with causes and charities with which Meghan has been connected.
Read related topics:Prince Harry