Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Face 'Fake Royal Engagements' Criticism After Returning to Britain, Commentator Says

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been accused of staging 'fake royal engagements' after visiting three charities in Nottingham on the same day King Charles and Queen Camilla opened the Seventh Senedd in Cardiff.

GB News presenter Alex Armstrong raised questions over the Sussexes' appearances during an episode of the 'Daily Expresso' podcast, in remarks reported on Friday, 6 November 2026.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from working royal duties in 2020 and moved to the United States. They returned to Britain in late August, but their renewed public schedule has not altered their official status.

Sussexes Face Criticism Over Charity Visits

Armstrong's comments followed events on Thursday, 15 October 2026, when two sets of royal-related appearances took place in different cities.

King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the ceremonial opening of the Seventh Senedd in Cardiff, according to the Royal Family's official record. On the same day, Harry and Meghan visited three charitable organisations in Nottingham.

Armstrong said the timing of the Nottingham visits was deliberate. 'They are always trying to overshadow a royal event,' he said, according to the Daily Express, which published his comments.

He also accused the couple of attempting 'fake royal engagements', and questioned why they continued making highly visible appearances after leaving their official roles.

There is no evidence in the available reporting that the Sussexes scheduled their Nottingham visits to compete with Charles's appearance in Wales. No such allegation has been made publicly by Buckingham Palace.

The Associated Press reported that the Nottingham programme included visits to Community Recording Studio, which supports young people through creative activities, Himmah Hub food bank and Epic Partners, a youth organisation.

During the visits, the couple greeted members of the public, with some people cheering and asking for photographs. Their appearances were covered by the media as charity visits, rather than as official royal engagements.

Harry has maintained links with several British organisations and continues work associated with the Invictus Games. The next Games are scheduled for Birmingham from 10 to 17 July 2027, according to organisers.

Further visits to organisations the couple have previously supported are anticipated, although no confirmed schedule has been announced.

Palace Letter Clarifies Sussexes' Royal Status

The distinction between private charity work and official royal duty was set out weeks before the Nottingham visit, in a September letter issued on King Charles's instructions.

Richard Benyon, the Lord Chamberlain, confirmed that Harry and Meghan remain non-working members of the Royal Family. The guidance said their His and Her Royal Highness styles remain in abeyance and are not used.

The letter stated that their charitable activities are undertaken privately, rather than as duties representing the monarch. Their return to Britain did not restore the formal responsibilities they relinquished in 2020.

The letter was made public on 7 September. The Guardian reported the following day that the Sussexes were surprised by how little notice their office received before the guidance reached the media.

According to that report, the couple's team received its contents at 1.59pm, while the media received them at 3.06pm. The reported reaction was not confirmed through an on-record statement from Harry or Meghan.