Approximately 100 people turned out to give Prince Harry and Meghan Markle their first true ‘royal welcome’ back on home soil, featuring thunderous cheers and no boos. The Duchess of Sussex shared a series of clips on Instagram documenting the visit, which featured magical moments with the people of Britain.
During the outing, one clip showed Prince Harry laughing and playing snooker with locals. Meghan Markle held back tears at one point as she received an iconic 2017 visit photo of herself and Harry from fans. The beaming Duchess was glowing with joy, dancing, smiling, and showering Harry with love while returning to the place where their love story first began.
Public Reception and Media Turnout
The gathering attracted a modest crowd, with journalists actually outnumbering fans among the approximately 100 people who showed up. While sources claimed there were whispers that some supporters may have been deliberately invited — with an insider noting, There are questions about whether everyone just happened to show up,
and comparing it to standard Hollywood publicity where American celebrities invite fan clubs — the couple achieved their primary visual objective.
They believe they’ve proved they can still command a royal welcome without being working royals. This was a massive win for the couple,
a source told Rob Shuter. They got exactly what they wanted: perfect pictures of smiling crowds welcoming them home. They couldn’t have scripted better publicity,
the insider added, noting that the Sussexes ultimately needed only enough attendees to make the photographs look spectacular.
Palace Reaction
Inside Buckingham Palace, sources described a mixture of concern and resignation regarding the unauthorized public appearance. A royal insider told Rob Shuter that The Palace can’t stop them,
adding that Harry and Meghan don’t need official royal roles to behave like working royals. They can shake hands, hug supporters and create their own royal moments.
For the Sussexes, the warm reception and lack of hostile jeers renewed hope and provided a deeply emotional victory as they celebrated their return to the UK.
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