Where Is Meghan Markle? Prince Harry Carries Out His Third Solo UK Engagement Sans His Wife

Prince Harry attended the WellChild Awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on 21 September 2026 without Meghan Markle, continuing his support for the charity during the family's extended stay in Britain.

The appearance followed two Invictus-related engagements the previous week. Town & Country described WellChild as his third public outing without Meghan since the family returned to the UK in August. It reported that he arrived shortly after 4pm local time and posed for photographs before entering.

The couple's return does not establish a permanent relocation. A representative said they planned to spend an extended period in Britain during the autumn, according to The New York Times and Town & Country.

While Harry engaged with seriously ill children and their families, reports indicated that Meghan was spotted with television personalities Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi at an Oxfordshire pub on the afternoon of 21 September. That account did not establish why she did not accompany Harry to the evening ceremony.

Prince Harry Celebrates WellChild Families

WellChild supports children and young people with serious and complex health needs, helping them receive care at home rather than in hospital wherever possible.

Harry has been its patron since 2007, a relationship that predates his departure from working royal duties.

The charity said Harry met award winners and their families at a reception before the ceremony. He presented the Inspirational Child award for children aged 4 to 6 to six-year-old Margot Jones-Billington, from Northampton.

The event also marked the 20th anniversary of the WellChild Nurse programme. In his speech, Harry said it had grown to 54 nursing posts in children's hospitals and communities across the UK.

He recalled visiting Birmingham Children's Hospital during the summer and meeting nurses and families supported by the programme. He described its work as extending beyond helping children leave hospital, encompassing support for their lives at home, at school and in their communities.

Ahead of the ceremony, Harry said the anniversary was an opportunity to recognise both the programme's impact and the people behind it. In a statement published by WellChild on 10 September, he praised the courage and determination of the children, families and professionals involved.

WellChild chief executive Matt James said in the same announcement that the awards would recognise winners alongside the people whose dedication helped young people with complex medical needs live well at home and beyond.

Prince Harry Continues Charity Work in a Private Capacity

Harry's recent schedule also included the inaugural Invictus Spirit Gala Dinner and Awards in London on 17 September. The following day, he visited a school in Birmingham for an initiative linked to the 2027 Invictus Games, People reported.

During the Birmingham visit, he played pickleball with students and former Invictus competitors and took part in a lesson about prosthetic design. The educational initiative, called INSPIRE, brings themes associated with the Games into classrooms, the report said.

These appearances took place against a backdrop of unchanged royal status. Reuters reported that a letter authorised by King Charles III and sent to senior British officials on 7 September reaffirmed that Harry and Meghan were not working members of the royal family.

The letter said their charitable activities were personal matters undertaken in a private capacity. Buckingham Palace previously confirmed in February 2021, after reviewing their departure the year before, that the couple would not return as working royals.

Harry's announced programme extended beyond Britain. The Clinton Foundation advertised him as a participant at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York on 22-23 September.

At WellChild, the charity's ambassador, Gaby Roslin, hosted the evening. Guests included Kelly Holmes, Gok Wan, Harry Judd, and Peter Andre, who joined children, families, and healthcare professionals for the awards.