Prince Harry made his second public appearance back in the United Kingdom Friday with a visit to Abbey Road Studios with Jon Bon Jovi to witness the recording of a single to benefit his Invictus Games Foundation.
Harry was in Scotland on Wednesday to appear at a sustainable travel conference in Edinburgh to talk about Travalyst, his project with major travel companies aimed at promoting environmentally-friendly travel.
The engagement was not announced in advance but Harry and Duchess Meghan's official Sussexroyal Instagram account said he was in Scotland to learn about how the country's tourism division is taking measures to increase sustainability and support local communities.
His appearance at Abbey Road, which was announced in advance, was thus mobbed by the media. It marked the return of Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, to the U.K. for a series of final appearances in advance of their step-back as senior working members of the royal family, scheduled to begin April 1.
During the appearance, Harry and Bon Jovi took photos with Invictus Games Choir members on the iconic Abbey Road crossing.
The former Meghan Markle was not seen at Abbey Road, the recording studio made famous by The Beatles who recorded 11 of their 13 albums there. It was not clear whether she had yet arrived back in the U.K., or whether baby Archie was with her.
Harry joined Bon Jovi and the Invictus Games Choir to record a Bon Jovi-penned song, called "Unbroken," to raise money for the foundation and focus a spotlight on veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder. It's a signature cause for Harry and remains so despite the Sussex retreat from royal duties.
The charity version of the song by the choir will be released in March. The song also is set to feature on the forthcoming album, "Bon Jovi 2020."
The pair were seen in a recording booth wearing headphones. Bon Jovi had a guitar.
“We’ve been gargling next door, so we’re ready to go,” Harry told an engineer, according to the Associated Press.
The next Invictus Games (the fifth) is in May in The Hague, followed by Düsseldorf, Germany, in 2022.
Meanwhile, Meghan is expected to appear with Harry at least three times in coming days: On March 5 at the Endeavour Fund Awards celebrating achievements by wounded warriors; on March 7 at the Mountbatten Festival of Music, which features military band, at the Royal Albert Hall in London; and on March 9 at the annual Commonwealth Day celebration service at Westminster Abbey.
In addition, Harry may drop in solo at the Silverstone Experience, a British Grand Prix tourist attraction, and Meghan is expected solo to mark International Women's Day in some way on March 8.
Harry and Meghan are done with being working royals on March 31. After that date, a new arrangement about their future takes effect, to be in place for at least a year before it is reviewed.
Its key element is that they can no longer use "Sussex Royal" as their label for their charities, commercial activities and social media; now something new will be used to signify the Sussex "brand," although exactly what that will be they have not yet revealed.
A lengthy post on their website last week revealed what they won and lost in their bid to break away from royal life, including at least one reason for their desire to do so: Their ongoing resentment of their media coverage.
"The Royal Family respect and understand the wish of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to live a more independent life as a family, by removing the supposed ‘public interest’ justification for media intrusion into their lives," according to their website. "They remain a valued part of Her Majesty's family."
By April 1, their office at Buckingham Palace will have been closed, their staff moved to different jobs, and the pool coverage routine will cease. Instead they will be represented by the staff of their London-based charity organization.
Since mid-January, Harry and Meghan have been living in Canada, in a borrowed estate on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, after their stunning declaration that they didn't want to be working royals anymore and planned to move to North America with baby Archie and become financially independent.
That was followed by weeks of fraught negotiations with royal relations and palace officials about what their new lifestyle would look like, who would pay for it and how much of its royal character they could retain.
Under the agreement, they are still members of the royal family, Harry and Archie's place in the succession remain the same , and they are still the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, although they have agreed not to use their HRH status.
At his Scotland appearance Wednesday, Harry told his hosts to just to call him Harry.
They've had to give up some of parts of their other royal roles having to do with the Commonwealth and the military but they have been allowed to keep their royal patronages.
They also will continue to be protected by security based on the "shared threat and risk level documented specifically over the last few years."
Canada's government announced Thursday that it has been helping provide security for the couple and their baby on an intermittent "as-needed" basis since November, but that will cease after March 31. No further details about their security were released, including who will pay for it, on safety grounds.
"While The Duke and Duchess are focused on plans to establish a new non-profit organization, given the specific UK government rules surrounding use of the word ‘Royal,' it has been therefore agreed that their non-profit organization will not utilize the name ‘Sussex Royal’ or any other iteration of ‘Royal,'" according to their website.
But the former restrictions on their ability to earn millions in commercial deals have been removed, making them potentially one of the most sought-after couples for business partnerships since former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama left the White House in 2017.
The new arrangement will be reviewed in a year, leaving the possibility that the couple might change their minds and return to the full royal fold.
Meanwhile, they intend to continue their joint public work involving the Commonwealth, community, youth empowerment and mental health. Harry’s causes will remain veterans' welfare, conservation, sport for social development and HIV, while Meghan’s focus will be on women’s empowerment, gender equality and education.
They also intend to return to the U.K. frequently and will continue to make Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Castle estate (for which they will be paying rent and paying back the $3 million spent to renovate it) as their base when they are in Britain.
Contributing: The Associated Press
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMihwFodHRwczovL3d3dy51c2F0b2RheS5jb20vc3RvcnkvZW50ZXJ0YWlubWVudC9jZWxlYnJpdGllcy8yMDIwLzAyLzI4L2hhcnJ5LW1lZ2hhbi1iYWNrLXUtay1oZS12aXNpdHMtYWJiZXktcm9hZC1qb24tYm9uLWpvdmkvNDgyMDI0OTAwMi_SASdodHRwczovL2FtcC51c2F0b2RheS5jb20vYW1wLzQ4MjAyNDkwMDI?oc=5
2020-02-28 12:00:26Z
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