Eight years and 10 months after Harry and Meghan made their first official appearance as an engaged couple in Nottingham, the Sussexes returned to the city for another walkabout.
Much has changed since that 2017 visit—including the couple’s style and public roles.
On their first Nottingham outing, Meghan Markle opted for a sharply tailored navy double-breasted Mackage coat over a black turtleneck bodysuit. She completed the look with a beige midi skirt and black over-the-knee boots by Kurt Geiger.
Her most talked-about accessory was a £595 midi tote from Scottish label Strathberry. The handbag sold out almost immediately, placing the Edinburgh brand firmly in the spotlight and heralding the so-called Meghan Effect from the outset.
Harry was equally polished, wearing a cashmere scarf tucked into the neckline of his overcoat. Together, they looked every inch the carefully styled royal couple-in-waiting.
For their latest appearance, Meghan wore her hair in a sleek, tightly pulled-back ponytail and embraced head-to-toe tonal dressing. The £3,386 ensemble was finished with £650 Jennifer Chamandi Lorenzo 105 pumps in a deep brown shade.
Meghan’s £3,386 ensemble offered a masterclass in tonal dressing, completed by £650 Jennifer Chamandi Lorenzo 105 pumps in rich brown
The Duchess championed British fashion in a Joseph coat and coordinating knitwear, adding an affordable £26 belt from M&S
During Meghan’s first Nottingham visit nearly nine years ago, her polished but understated look was instantly remembered for its Strathberry handbag, which quickly sold out
Her outfit featured a £1,495 mahogany Dona doubleface cashmere coat by Joseph, styled open over a £345 dark brown Yarra crew-neck top from the same label. She tucked the top into a £175 plum Oliena split pencil skirt by The Fold.
A £26 Triple Keeper belt from Marks & Spencer appeared to define her waist, while a £695 Joseph espresso mini Loaf woven-leather bag completed the look. From coat to handbag, the outfit showcased British labels.
During her short time as a working member of the Royal Family, Meghan said she had been expected to wear tights beneath skirts.
This time, she went bare-legged with heels, adopting a restrained palette of brown and burgundy associated with the stealth-wealth trend. The result was understated yet distinctly fashion-conscious, with the Duchess projecting a thoroughly modern image.
Harry took a more relaxed approach, leaving his coat and scarf behind in the milder weather. Even so, he appeared noticeably less cheerful than he had during the couple’s 2017 visit.
Meghan leaves her crown jewels at home! Duchess wears Princess Diana’s watch and trendy fitness tracker but not her engagement ring on visit to Nottingham
The Duchess of Sussex notably left off her engagement ring from Prince Harry during the couple’s first joint public appearance in the UK since their return.
Although Meghan, 45, has not been photographed wearing the ring for almost nine months, there had been speculation that she might bring out the diamond during the royal-style visit to Nottingham.
The city holds particular significance for the couple: it was where they undertook their first royal walkabout together after announcing their engagement in 2017.
Meghan paired her £1,500 cashmere coat with burgundy heels from London-based designer Jennifer Chamandi, valued at £650. She kept the rest of her jewellery and accessories deliberately understated.
The Duchess was last seen wearing the engagement ring in February 2026, when she attended an NBA game in California.
Instead, Meghan accessorised her autumnal outfit – including the burgundy coat and matching knit jumper both from Joseph – with her wedding band and her bedazzled fitness tracker that she is now rarely seen without.
In addition to the Oura ring hidden inside a custom, diamond-encrusted gold ‘sleeve’ from Logan Hollowell, she wore a new, unidentified gold band on her right hand.
She also sported Princess Diana’s Cartier Tank Française watch, worth £17,800 ($24,020), which was gifted to her after she married the Duke of Sussex.
Meghan Markle did not wear her engagement ring from Prince Harry for their first joint engagement since returning to the UK.
The duchess, 45, is rarely seen without Princess Diana’s £17,800 Cartier Tank Francasie watch
Meghan accessorised her outfit with her wedding band and her bedazzled fitness tracker, the Oura ring
Harry proposed to Meghan in 2017 – enlisting the late Queen Elizabeth II’s regular jeweller, Cleave & Company, to design a unique jewel for his bride-to-be.
The prince had even snuck a ring from Meghan’s jewellery box so that the designers knew her size and, in a particularly touching tribute to his late mother, asked them to ‘harvest’ the diamonds from one of Diana’s bracelets.
Since the proposal in Nottingham Cottage – the couple’s former house in the grounds of Kensington Palace – it is believed the ring has been altered four times. At Trooping the Colour in June 2019, Meghan was spotted wearing the ring with a thinner band than its original design.
She also had little diamonds set down the sides of the ring, worth around £126,000 ($150,000), in what jewellery expert Arabel Lebrusan suggested was a more American style.
In his book Finding Freedom, royal expert Omid Scobie noted the decision to resize and reset the engagement ring with a new diamond band in 2019 was Harry’s idea.
In the biography, jeweller-to-the-stars Lorraine Schwartz reportedly said of the prince: ‘He’s the loveliest person ever. So romantic, so thoughtful.’
The authors continued: ‘So much so that Harry also thought to have Lorraine resize and reset Meghan’s engagement ring with a new diamond band.’
More than 100 people were waiting to greet the couple in the East Midlands this morning
Meghan bowed and clutched her hands to her chest after a warm reception from supporters
In 2022, there was further speculation that Meghan altered the ring for a second time when she attended the Invictus Games in The Hague, Netherlands, and it appeared that she had added additional diamonds to the setting surrounding the central one.
The ring was notably absent during several of Meghan’s appearances in 2023, when a loose stone was reportedly being repaired – in what some believed was a third alteration.
In 2025, eagle-eyed royal fans noted that the ring’s central diamond looked more like an emerald cut than the original cushion cut when it was seen in a trailer for Meghan’s since-axed Netflix series.
During their appearance in Nottingham, a crowd of 100 fans gathered to greet Harry and Meghan.
The duchess accepted bouquets and balloons from well-wishers as she told them ‘it’s great to be back’. Harry repeatedly placed a protective arm around her as they posed for selfies and chatted with members of the public.
At one point, Meghan appeared to show someone in the crowd her jewellery.
Their last official public appearance together in Britain was at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022.
