Meghan Markle photographed in UK for first time since August move, at Cotswolds pub with Ellen DeGeneres

Meghan Markle stepped into public view in Britain for the first time since the Sussex family's return from California, photographed on Monday afternoon at the Three Horseshoes pub near Burford, Oxfordshire, where she spent time with Ellen DeGeneres and DeGeneres' wife, Portia de Rossi.

The images, obtained by Page Six, show Meghan in a light blue shirt, white jeans, white sneakers and sunglasses — a plainclothes security guard in tow — chatting and laughing with the couple in the garden of the 18th-century Cotswolds establishment before saying her goodbyes. The outing was not an official engagement.

The sighting on 21 September provides the first published photographs of Meghan in the UK since she, Prince Harry, and their children — Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 — landed at Birmingham Airport on 26 August, ending six years of life in Montecito, California. An earlier visit to Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire this month had been reported by Daily Beast editor-at-large Tom Sykes and The Guardian, but no photographs were taken.

The reunion with DeGeneres and de Rossi was a natural one: the two couples were neighbours in Montecito before DeGeneres and de Rossi relocated to the Cotswolds in 2024, putting them in the same stretch of English countryside the Sussexes now call home. Meghan attended the pair's vow renewal in 2023, and she appeared on DeGeneres' former talk show. According to Hello Magazine, Meghan even adopted DeGeneres' chicken, Sinkie, who had a broken leg.

While Meghan has kept a deliberately low profile since the move, her husband has hit the ground running. At the Invictus Spirit Gala Dinner and Awards on 17 September — his first official outing — Harry told People that being back on British soil felt 'good.' The following day he appeared at the launch of the INSPIRE education programme, and on Monday, the same afternoon Meghan was at the pub, he was in London for the annual WellChild Awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel.

According to ibtimes.co.uk, WellChild confirmed Harry attended the ceremony for the 16th time and has been the charity's patron for 18 years. The event recognises children living life to the full despite complex medical needs, and Harry became visibly emotional during his speech.

To all the mums and dads — most of us will never truly know the emotional ups and downs of your day. But I sincerely hope that you take strength from nights like this. And while we may not know the details of your day, in this room and beyond, we recognise the commitment of your care and all that comes with it.— Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

The moment echoed Harry's 2019 WellChild speech, when he broke down and host Gaby Roslin stepped in to support him. According to the Mirror, the scene played out again six years later — Roslin moved to his side after he said 'It's happening again,' and then, as she held his arm, quipped: 'That doesn't help, that makes it worse.'

Away from public engagements, Meghan has offered carefully curated glimpses of the family's new life. Last week she posted an Instagram video — captioned with a Union Jack emoji and a red heart — showing Archie and Lilibet chasing deer, Harry teaching the children to fish, and Lilibet by a fire. For Harry's 42nd birthday, she shared a photo of Archie and Lilibet riding a quad bike with the family's black Labrador, Pula, running alongside — an M&S shopping bag visible in the frame, confirming the UK setting.

The family's transition has not been entirely smooth. According to ibtimes.co.uk, Archie and Lilibet began school in the UK in September but were moved to a different school after just two days. A spokesperson for the Sussexes said the move came out of discussions about the practicalities of their security arrangements and was in no way a reflection on the staff at the original school; reports suggested that the length of the school route and heavy traffic along it had raised concerns for the security team.

Page Six reported that at last year's WellChild Awards, Harry had dropped a hint about the eventual move while chatting with singer Joss Stone about her own return to Britain.

He was saying how wonderful the schools are here and how important community is for children.— Joss Stone, singer

Stone said Harry felt 'drawn to' return. Monday's photographs suggest the Sussexes are now, quietly, doing exactly that — on their own terms and timeline.

Why it matters — The photographs mark the first documented public glimpse of Meghan in Britain since the Sussexes' high-profile relocation, illustrating how the couple are navigating their return — Harry through a rapid schedule of public engagements, Meghan through a quieter, private re-entry into British life.

Reported by co.uk, mirror.co.uk, pagesix.com, hellomagazine.com, instyle.com, ibtimes.co.uk, people.com