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British RoyalsThe Sussexes

Recap of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s first visit to Sussex

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex paid a visit to their duchy yesterday, a first for the couple since they received the duchy on their wedding day.

The couple flew to Chichester by helicopter from Kensington Palace yesterday morning.

Harry and Meghan arrived first in Chichester for a walkabout, greeting the throngs of people who’d gathered to see them, before visiting Edes House, which houses one of two original copies of the Declaration of Independence. The copy the Sussexes saw is known as the Sussex Declaration, and mysteriously ended up in Great Britain once the original had been signed and enacted.

Meghan was presented with a hand-drawn book, A to Z of Sussex, by the children of Westbourne House School, who’d wanted to tell the royal couple all about “the best county in the world,” according to student Thomas Symington, who told Hello! about the book.

Meghan told the kids, “Thank you, that’s so cool!” when presented with it.

Harry and Meghan also opened the University of Chichester’s Engineering and Digital Technology Park during their visit to Bognor Regis.

Before they left, they also had a chance to listen to the University’s chamber orchestra play a selection from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, which Meghan called “so impressive.”

The next stop on their whirlwind visit was Brighton, to see the Royal Pavilion, which was a former palace to George IV, and to visit Survivors’ Network, a charity providing support to survivors of sexual assault and rape.

While visiting the charity, Meghan was presented with a drawing of her dog, which was designed by a local artist and represented as an intersectional feminist print.

Harry confirmed the rumours that the couple had gotten a new dog, to join Guy the Beagle, Meghan’s adopted dog, when he confused the dog in the print, saying, “No one’s even seen our dog,” and Meghan saying that the press, some of whom have said the dog’s name is Oz, always gets the name wrong.

The last stop of the day was in Peacehaven, where the couple visited the Joff Youth Centre, a centre for young people that focuses on mental health and wellbeing.

Harry and Meghan met some of the young people who use the facility and learned how it helps the community.

At every stop, the crowds gathered to welcome the royal couple, jubilant that they were receiving their Duke and Duchess; and, as Meghan is the first Duchess of Sussex, the former two Duke of Sussexes either not marrying or not having recognized marriages, it was an especially poignant visit for her.

About author

Jess Ilse is the Assistant Editor at Royal Central. She specialises in the British, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Royal Families and has been following royalty since Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. Jess has provided commentary for media outlets in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Jess works in communications and her debut novel THE MAJESTIC SISTERS will publish in Fall 2024.