Are Prince Harry and Meghan ‘Crossing the Line’ With Stong Message to Royal Family About First Public Engagement?

It’s been announced that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s first joint public engagement since moving back to the U.K. will take place on Oct. 15 in Nottingham, England. The location is the same city where the couple made their first joint appearance after announcing their engagement in 2017.

Multiple reports noted that the visit is a signal to the royal family that despite King Charles‘ letter labeling them “private citizens,” they are “determined to be viewed as public figures.”

You may recall that after the Sussexes returned to the U.K., the king issued a letter to government departments and military officials, stating, “[Harry and Meghan’s] styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used. The charitable work of the duke and duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity. In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”

Meghan and Harry were not happy at all with that letter, and a spokesperson for the pair said, “We were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance. The publication of the letter had caught the couple off guard.” It’s been reported that they have insisted on being referred to as “public figures.”

Now someone who used to work for the family is weighing in on whether the duke and duchess are risking crossing a line with their “public engagement” and what clear message they are sending to the Palace.

Grant Harrold was King Charles’ personal butler for seven years. While working for the monarch, Harrold also looked after Prince William, Catherine, 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, “This is Harry and Meghan making a statement, showing the royals and the public that they intend to undertake engagements as part of their new U.K. lives. Their choice of location is no coincidence. Nottingham in particular holds special significance, as it was the location of their first official joint appearance following their 2017 engagement.

“Meghan and Harry don’t seem to do anything without careful thought. This is likely their way of sending a very clear message to the royal family — ‘we’re starting over again, we’re starting fresh.’ It’s difficult to say how it will be perceived because celebrities do these appearances and Harry and Meghan have every right to do them, but it depends on how they approach it.”

Harrold added, “I think people forget that, although they aren’t senior working royals, they are still royals; they are a duke and duchess … But in recent years they’ve become more like ‘celebrity royals’, and by carrying out these engagements, they risk crossing over into a similar territory to working royals — and this is something the king has made very clear that they are not in the U.K. to do.

“[But Harry and Meghan] are making it clear that this is what they are going to do for the foreseeable future; they will be doing these engagements, and they are going to be seen out and about. It’s going to be interesting what people think of it and whether they view it as a royal visit and how they are treated.”