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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first official joint public appearance since their return to the U.K. The two traveled to Nottingham, England, on Oct. 15 for engagements linked to their charity work.

The location is the same city where the couple made their first joint appearance after announcing their engagement in 2017. But for this visit, the Duchess of Sussex was not wearing her engagement ring. The three-stone diamond was noticeably missing from her left hand. Instead of her engagement ring, the former Suits star wore her Welsh gold wedding band, her Cartier watch, her “Love” bracelet, and an Oura smart ring.

Now, someone who used to work for the royal family is sharing their thoughts on what Meghan did and didn’t wear during their official outing.

Grant Harrold was King Charles’ personal butler for seven years. While working for the monarch, Harrold also looked after Prince William, Princess Kate, and Prince Harry whenever they stayed at Highgrove House. Since leaving the royal household, Harrold has become one of the U.K.’s leading etiquette experts, a best-selling author, and a commentator.

In 2025, he published his first book, The Royal Butler, which became an Amazon bestseller. He regularly appears on TV offering royal commentary on both current and historic news stories.

Speaking on behalf of OLBG, Harrold told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “An interesting point is that Meghan isn’t wearing her engagement ring. It’s not unusual to see the royal women without their huge engagement rings, with both Kate and Meghan leaving them at home regularly over the years.

“While we don’t know for sure why Meghan isn’t wearing hers in Nottingham, I would assume it’s because she’s wearing a fitness ring instead. But I don’t think that’s really a great look, is it? Prioritizing a fitness tracker over a historic ring with a huge sentimental significance is an interesting choice — especially for such a landmark occasion.”

Harrold did, however, agree with the duchess’s deliberate choice to wear British designers for the outing, calling that a “clever move.”

“Meghan’s decision to wear all British designers today is a very well thought out and clever move,” the former royal employee said. “She’s very thoughtful when it comes to her clothing, and this is a perfect example of how she sends clear messages without saying a word. She knows she needs to win back over the British public, and supporting local fashion houses and designers is an easy starting point. It’s her way of saying she’s back and she’s committed to the U.K.

“Another thoughtful detail of the outfit is her decision to rewear a designer she wore for her first engagement back in 2017, just a few days after Meghan and Harry announced their engagement. For today’s visit, she opted for a statement coat from the brand Joseph — and she wore a skirt from their range for the debut outing. Again, this is no accident. No royal fashion decisions are ever an accident. I think this is a nice nod back to the beginning of her royal journey, which I believe she’s selected to symbolize a fresh start.”

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