Piers Morgan has launched a fresh attack on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, accusing the couple of running a rival royal family operation in Britain for personal gain as they prepare for their first joint public engagement since returning to the UK.
In posts on X on October 12, the broadcaster called the situation outrageous, writing that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared to be operating a parallel royal setup purely for personal advantage. He said he could not imagine how the working royals must feel about it. A day earlier he had responded to a People magazine post describing the Nottingham outing as the couple's first official engagement, dismissing the description and calling them unofficial figures exploiting their royal titles.
The row follows reports, first published by The Sunday Times and carried by AFP, that Harry and Meghan will travel to Nottingham on Thursday, October 15, for a day of charitable engagements. The itinerary is expected to include a community recording studio the couple has supported, a food bank linked to the Hubb Community Kitchen with which Meghan has a long-standing connection, and Epic Partners, an organisation supporting young people. The visits are not official royal engagements and will not be conducted on behalf of the monarchy.
Nottingham holds particular significance for the couple: it was the city where they made their first joint public appearance after announcing their engagement in 2017. The couple moved back to Britain in August 2026 with their children, Archie and Lilibet, after six years in California. Since the move they have been settling into a new routine in Oxfordshire, though they have faced security concerns around their children's new school, from which the children were reportedly withdrawn just days into term.
The timing of the Nottingham visit has drawn additional scrutiny because it coincides with a major engagement for the King and Queen, who will attend the ceremonial opening of the Senedd in Cardiff on the same day. Earlier this year a letter issued on the King's behalf described the Sussexes' position as akin to private citizens rather than public figures, a description friends of the couple reportedly took issue with.
According to People, the couple are expected to spend Christmas with Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, rather than with the royal family, with one source describing a shared holiday as too awkward. The rift with Prince William and Kate Middleton is said to persist, with the brothers not in direct contact. Whether the Nottingham outing marks a genuine fresh chapter of British-based charitable work or, as Morgan claims, a provocative parallel operation, will be judged by the reception it receives on Thursday.