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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Rebecca Russell

Inside Meghan Markle and Harry's UK visit - commercial flight and 'royal hide and seek'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have arrived in the UK for their second visit of the summer, which will see them attend a series of official engagements while reportedly playing "royal hide and seek" with The Firm.

Confirming the visit earlier this year, a spokesman said: "Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are delighted to visit with several charities close to their hearts in early September."

During the trip, which sandwiches an event in Germany to mark the one year countdown to the Invictus Games, the couple will visit several of their charities in London and Manchester.

While we are yet to catch a glimpse of the couple, it is believed they are staying at their former home of Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate - just a stone's throw from The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's new home at Adelaide Cottage.

So what do we know about their visit so far and when will we see them?

The couple have arrived in the UK (Getty Images)

When did they arrive?

Prince Harry and Meghan are believed to have arrived back in the UK on Saturday. They reportedly turned down the use of a private jet after being heavily criticised for doing so in the past, instead flying commercial.

While the couple were not pictured leaving the plane on Saturday morning, sources said their two children, Archie and Lilibet, did not appear to be with them.

Their visit comes just days after Meghan gave an explosive and wide-ranging interview to The Cut in which she said it takes "a lot of effort" to forgive and hinted that she can "say anything".

It is thought the couple are staying at Frogmore Cottage (PA)

Where are they staying?

It is believed the couple will be staying at their former £2.4m home, Frogmore Cottage, after Harry renewed the lease earlier this year.

Princess Eugenie, her husband Jack Brooksbank and their son, August, are currently living int the five-bedroom Windsor house. The family split their time between the UK and Portugal, where Jack has a management job at the CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club.

A friend previously told HELLO!: "Eugenie and Harry have always been close and they chat privately all the time. It was Harry who suggested she and Jack could use Frogmore Cottage because it is much bigger than their cottage at Kensington Palace. It is a case of one family member reaching out to another."

Frogmore is where Harry and Meghan stayed during their previous trip to the UK earlier this year for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee and was the setting of Lilibet's first birthday picture.

The couple are visiting a number of charities (AFP via Getty Images)

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When will we see them?

Last month a spokesperson for the couple confirmed the trip and said: "Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are delighted to visit with several charities close to their hearts in early September."

Their first engagement will take place on Monday (September 5) when the couple will travel to Manchester to attend the One Young World Summit opening ceremony where Meghan is expected to give a keynote address in her role as a counsellor for the organisation.

The pair will then travel to Germany for an event the following day to mark a year until the Invictus Games arrives in Dusseldorf.

They will then return to the UK for the WellChild Awards in London on September 8, where we can expect to hear a speech from Harry.

It is not thought the two couples will meet (Getty Images)

Will they see The Queen or other royals?

As The Queen is currently on her annual summer break at the Balmoral Estate in Scotland, it is unlikely that Harry and Meghan will visit the 96-year-old monarch.

It would be possible for couple to meet The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their fleeting visit to the UK as there is just 15 minutes between Adelaide Cottage and Frogmore Cottage - however, many royal sources believe this is unlikely.

Royal expert Christopher Andersen described Harry and Meghan's trip as a game of "royal hide and seek".

Speaking to US Weekly he said: "It's going to be interesting in the next few days when Harry and Meghan go to Europe, and they’re gonna be playing royal hide and seek.

"[The Cambridges] are out of the way during the first part of the Sussexes' trip to Britain, but on [September 8] the Sussexes return to Britain from Germany.

"They’re going to be, literally, a brief stroll [from] each other on the grounds of Windsor because the Cambridges have to [return in time to get their] kids in school. It’s gonna have all the markings of an old-fashioned farce with these people trying to avoid each other."

Security has been an ongoing issue for the couple (AFP via Getty Images)

Who is providing their security?

Prince Harry's ongoing legal battle against the Home Office for security will be a hot topic during their short visit to the UK after he called the decision to remove his taxpayer-funded official armed police bodyguards as "unfair" and "illegal".

The Sun reported that Harry and Meghan's own security and event organisers will have to protect them during their upcoming visit to Manchester after a police source revealed that no officers will be provided.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson told the paper: “It is my understanding this event is not receiving a dedicated police resource and is being privately secured.”

It is as of yet unclear exactly how the couple will be looked after during their visits to Germany and London but it is thought they will be given "ad hoc security measures”.

Meghan and Harry visited the UK for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

When were they last in the UK?

Meghan and Harry last travelled to the UK in early June to celebrate The Queen's historic Platinum Jubilee with other members of the family.

They were pictured chatting with the younger royals in The Duke of Wellington's office during the Trooping the Colour Parade and later joined the royals at St Paul's Cathedral for a Service of Thanksgiving.

Their appearance at the service was the subject of much debate after they reportedly arrived later than expected and had to shuffle past Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie to get to their seats.

Speaking to GB News, Lady Colin Campbell said: "They were supposed to be in the bus with all the third-tier royals. They were 50 minutes late for the appointed meeting with Clarence House to make sure they would miss the bus so they would appear later."

Will the couple bring Archie and Lilibet? (PA)

Are they bringing Archie and Lilibet with them?

It was reported that Archie and Lilibet were not seen departing the plane with their parents when they arrived in the UK yesterday - leaving many to believe that they have been left behind in the US.

The Queen's two great-grandchildren were last in the UK for Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee in June and had the opportunity to see her at Windsor Castle during her busy schedule.

At the time, Prince Harry and Meghan's biographer, Omid Scobie, spoke to BBC breakfast about the meeting and said: "Those moments with Lilibet are very much private between them and the Queen and of course we know how much she's been looking forward to it."

He continued: "Of course we know the Queen went back to Windsor Castle yesterday, the couple went back to Windsor as well where they're staying at Frogmore Cottage. So that would have been the first moment or the first chance for her to meet her namesake."

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