Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were photographed together for the first time since their unexpected return to the UK. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared in the Cotswolds, where they had lunch at a traditional English pub.
The two were photographed on Thursday while walking hand in hand to The Falkland Arms, a historic pub whose roots date back to the 16th century.
For the informal outing, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose casual sportswear. The Duke of Sussex, 42, wore a Santa Barbara Fire Department baseball cap, a nod to the family's home in Montecito, California.
According to The Sun, the 45-year-old former Suits actress ordered a gluten-free beer-battered hake with fries, pea puree and tartar sauce. Prince Harry opted for a traditional chicken, ham and leek pie, served with seasonal vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy.
A source at the restaurant said thatthe couple did not receive special treatment from the staff or other patrons.
“Everyone here gets the royal treatment, no matter who they are. We get all kinds of people coming in and we treat everyone like a local. When Harry and Meghan were here, they also acted like locals“, a source told the British publication.
The public appearance comes amid concerns about the safety of their children after the family moved to the UK.
According to the publication, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, initially started attending a private preparatory school with an annual fee of about $ 35,000. However, just two days later they were transferred due to concerns about safety during their daily commute.
Further tension arose after Meghan Markle's personal phone number reportedly became public after she joined a WhatsApp group of parents from the school.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also reacted to the presence of paparazzi around their children's new school. A spokesman for the couple described the photographers' actions as “extremely reckless“.
“There is a huge difference between legitimate media activity and photographers walking around a school, peeking into the yard and observing children during their daily activities“, a representative for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle told Page Six.
The spokesperson added that it was disturbing that some European paparazzi were apparently unwilling to respect the privacy of children in a school environment.
Prince Harry himself, author of the memoir “The Spare“, recently said in an interview with Canadian television CTV that Archie and Lilibet had adapted well.
“The children are happy in school“, said the Duke of Sussex, adding: “It's great to be back on British soil.“
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to live in the UK in August after making their main home in Montecito, California, for years.