Royals in the Big Apple! Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are in New York City for the U.N. General Assembly’s celebration of Nelson Mandela Day.
Meghan, 40, and Harry, 37, were photographed arriving at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan on Monday, July 18, walking hand in hand on their way to the special event, where the prince will deliver a keynote address. While Harry opted for a classic suit and tie, the California native looked elegant in a sleek black dress with her hair styled in a low ponytail. She accessorized with a black bag and gold hoop earrings.
The royal couple previously visited New York in September 2021, their first joint appearance after the birth of their daughter, Lilibet, in June of that year. While in town, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex met with then-Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York governor Kathy Hochul. They also attended Global Citizen Live in Central Park.
Meghan and Harry relocated to California in March 2020 after stepping back from their roles as senior members of the royal family. Their son, Archie, was just 10 months old at the time. Since the BetterUp CIO’s departure from his native England, he and his wife have made a handful of trips back across the pond. Most recently, the pair attended Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.
Harry and the Suits alum were, at times, not fully included in the jubilee festivities. For the annual Trooping the Colour parade on June 2, the couple watched from the Major General’s Office while the 96-year-old monarch and other members of the royal family viewed the procession from the Buckingham Palace balcony. A spokesperson told Us Weekly in May that the balcony was only for “those members of the Royal Family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen.”
Royal expert Christopher Andersen told Us that the duke and duchess had been “hopeful” about repairing strained relationships during the visit but “ran into a brick wall.” Another source exclusively revealed to Us that Prince William is not in a hurry to mend fences after his relationship with his younger brother “hit rock bottom” following Harry’s revealing March 2021 interview with CBS.
Per the insider, William, 40, “doesn’t know who [Harry] is anymore and the trust between them is strained.” The former military pilot, for his part, expressed his fondness for the Duke of Cambridge during his CBS interview.
“I love William to bits. We’ve been through hell together and we have a shared experience, but we are on different paths,” he said at the time, claiming that his brother, the future king, was “trapped” within the monarchy. “The relationship is space at the moment and time heals all things, hopefully.”
Although Harry’s decision to step back from his royal duties had consequences, there is one person who likely would have approved of his choice.
Royal expert Stewart Pearce told Us in June 2021 that Princess Diana would be “absolutely thrilled” with both of her sons’ life paths. “She was talking about buying a property in Malibu [saying] that would be ‘really great’ for the boys to have freedom so that they could surf,” Pearce, who was Diana’s voice coach before her 1997 death, told Us. “Because they’re both very sporty, you know, but they could surf, they could roller blade, they could Frisbee. So, she’d be in complete favor.”
Scroll down for a closer look at the Sussexes’ NYC arrival:
