Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Struggle to Win Over the British Public

Asanka Ratnayake / Getty Images Harry and Meghan want to be public figures.

According to The Sunday Times of London, that is the point of their first joint engagements since returning to Britain.

On Thursday the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will visit Nottingham, the city where they made their first joint public appearance after announcing their engagement in 2017, to see projects at three charities supporting young people and local communities through music, film, sport, and tackling food poverty.

“Nottingham is a really special place for them,” a “friend” told the paper, “and they are looking forward to getting back out there into the community, together.” The royals tend not to announce their jobs in advance these days to minimize security issues.

It seems slightly odd that the Sussexes are doing so.

“Public figures” is a carefully chosen phrase.

When the king had the Lord Chamberlain remind everyone that the Sussexes are not working royals (indeed, that they are “akin” to private citizens), their office professed itself “surprised” and made it clear they would rather be described as… public figures.

Thursday is the phrase made flesh: a program of engagements for the faux king and queen, cameras flashing.

There is just one problem.

The public has spent the past fortnight telling the Sussexes exactly what they think of them.

On Friday night, Harry went to watch a rugby match in Leicester, where Leicester Tigers were playing Gloucester.

It was a private night out, a pint of beer carefully positioned in his hand.

Twenty-eight minutes in, his face filled the big screen, and the crowd booed.

The boos were clearly audible on TNT Sports’ live broadcast.