Prince Harry and Meghan make first official joint tour

Britain’s Prince Harry’s fiancee US actress Meghan Markle greets wellwishers on a walkabout as they arrive for an engagement at Nottingham Contemporary in Nottingham, central England, on Dec. 1, 2017 which is hosting a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Nottingham in their first set of engagements together since announcing their engagement. (AFP/Oli Scarff)

Meghan Markle, fiancee of Britain’s Prince Harry, is greeted by well-wishers as she arrives at the Nottingham Contemporary Center, to attend a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair, in Nottingham, England, Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee US actress Meghan Markle are greeted as they arrive to attend a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary in Nottingham, central England, on Dec. 1, 2017. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Nottingham in their first set of engagements together since announcing their engagement. During their first engagement of the day at a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair the prince and Markle met representatives from a number of institutes and charities that do specific work around HIV/AIDS. (AFP/POOL/Adrian Dennis)

Britain’s Prince Harry, right, and his fiancee Meghan Markle, center, arrive at the Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair, in Nottingham, England, Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. The couple are taking part in their first official visit together, choosing to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS with a visit to a youth project in Nottingham.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee US actress Meghan Markle are greeted as they arrive to attend a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary in Nottingham, central England, on Dec. 1, 2017. (AFP/POOL/Adrian Dennis)

Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle arrive at the Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair, in Nottingham, England, Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee US actress Meghan Markle greet wellwishers on a walkabout as they arrive for an engagement at Nottingham Contemporary in Nottingham, central England, on Dec. 1, 2017 which is hosting a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Nottingham in their first set of engagements together since announcing their engagement. (AFP/Oli Scarff)

Meghan Markle, left, fiancee of Britain’s Prince Harry, is greeted by well-wishers as she arrives at the Nottingham Contemporary Center, to attend a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair, in Nottingham, England, Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Meghan Markle, fiancee of Britain’s Prince Harry, arrives at the Nottingham Contemporary Center, to attend a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair, in Nottingham, England, Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

LONDON: Hundreds of royal fans, some carrying British and American flags, lined the streets of Nottingham on Friday in hopes of catching a glimpse of Prince Harry and his fiancee, Meghan Markle, on their first official visit together.
The trip is the first official engagement for Harry and the American actress since they announced earlier this week that they would wed. They plan to tour Britain in the next six months to give Markle an opportunity to learn about the country before their wedding at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The couple traveled to the east Midlands in England to visit to a youth project and to raise AIDS awareness. Their fans followed, including Irene Hardman, 81, who has handed bags of candy to both Princes William and Harry and their father, Prince Charles.
“It is absolutely wonderful and fantastic, and we privileged they’ve chosen Nottingham to be their first official engagement,” she said, adding that she had another goodie bag ready to hand over. This one has two fridge magnets “so they don’t fight over it.”
It is Prince Harry’s third visit to Nottingham since October last year. The prince has long championed AIDS charities, following in the footsteps of his mother, Princess Diana.
Holly Burdett, who is originally from West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, but now lives in Sydney, Australia, had returned home on the “gamble” that the couple would announce their engagement while she was here.
“I always thought I’d marry Harry but you can’t win them all,” she joked. “As long as they’re happy, that’s all that matters.”