A true gentleman. #PrinceHarry helps #MeghanMarkle out of the car during their first joint outing since their move to the U.K. Head to the link in bio for the full story. Click the link in the first comment for the full story. ⬇️

Nearly nine years after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made their first official royal outing together in Nottingham, the couple returned to the city on Oct. 15 — and the similarities between the two visits were hard to miss.

From the cheering crowds and bouquets of flowers to a familiar walkabout, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s first official joint engagement since moving back to Britain echoed the scenes that greeted them in December 2017, just days after they announced their engagement.

One well-wisher even brought along a photograph from that original visit, showing it to Meghan during Thursday’s walkabout. “That’s so special,” the Duchess of Sussex replied.

On Dec. 1, 2017, just four days after announcing their engagement, Meghan accompanied Harry on her first official royal engagement. The newly engaged couple were greeted by crowds of excited locals who gathered to congratulate them on their upcoming wedding.

Nearly nine years later, the welcome was similarly enthusiastic. Around 100 people gathered to greet Harry, 42, and Meghan, 45, as they arrived at the Community Recording Studio (CRS) on Thursday morning. The couple spent about 15 minutes shaking hands and chatting with well-wishers, including young schoolchildren, before heading inside.

Meghan was presented with bouquets of flowers and a helium-filled balloon, telling one member of the crowd, “It’s great to be back.”

There was even a familiar fashion connection between the two visits. For Thursday’s outing, Meghan wore a coat, turtleneck and earrings by British luxury brand Joseph, paired with a skirt by The Fold London and shoes by Jennifer Chamandi. During her first official royal engagement in Nottingham in December 2017, she also wore a skirt by Joseph, bringing the same label back to the city nearly nine years later.

The full-circle outing comes less than two months after Harry and Meghan returned to the U.K. alongside their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for an extended period following six years of living in California. Their latest visit to Nottingham included a series of charity engagements, reconnecting with organizations and community members they have supported over the years.

During their December 2017 visit, Harry and Meghan began the day greeting enthusiastic crowds in Nottingham’s city center, where well-wishers gathered to congratulate the newly engaged couple.

In one memorable exchange, a member of the crowd asked Harry what it was like to be with someone like Meghan “as a ginger.”

“It’s great, isn’t it? Unbelievable!” Harry joked in response.

Ahead of Thursday’s return, a friend told The Sunday Times, which first reported their plans to visit Nottingham, “Nottingham is a really special place for them, and they are looking forward to getting back out there into the community together.”

Prince Harry and Meghan’s return to Nottingham nearly nine years later had strong ties to their 2017 visit. Their agenda included a visit to Epic Partners, an organization that supports children and families through youth work, sport, mentoring and education.

Harry’s relationship with Epic began in 2013, leading to “Full Effect,” a program between Epic and The Community Recording Studio (CRS) that was supported by The Royal Foundation from 2013 to 2020 and combined community-based support and school interventions with music and creative activities.

During the couple’s December 2017 visit to Nottingham Academy, Meghan met young people supported by Full Effect.

Prince Harry and Meghan also visited Himmah Hub, a food poverty community action group. There, Meghan reunited with some of the women the Duchess of Sussex supported at the Hubb Community Kitchen, a group that came together to prepare food for their community after being displaced following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. One of Meghan’s first projects as a member of the royal family was to collaborate with the women on a charity cookbook.