Graham Smith, leader of the anti-monarchy group Republic, has defended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after some readers called for them to stop holding events similar to royal visits.
According to the Mirror, more than 5,000 people took part in its reader survey. Of those who responded, 93 percent said the couple should not be allowed to carry out these kinds of appearances.
After the Mirror shared the report on X, formerly Twitter, Smith called the reaction “hilarious.”
This is hilarious. Will they ban them from walking down the street and talking to people? All this handwringing suggests there’s something official and special about William and Kate walking down the street and talking to people.
— Graham Smith 🇺🇦 🏳️🌈 🇬🇱 🐧 (@GrahamSmith_) October 17, 2026
He questioned whether critics would also want to stop Harry and Meghan from walking down the street and talking to people. He argued that public meetings like these are not unique to working royals such as Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Smith’s comments followed Harry and Meghan’s joint appearance in Nottingham on Thursday. According to the report, it was their first public appearance together since returning to Britain.
The visit brought them back to the city where they held their first official joint engagement nine years earlier.
The report also said the couple had moved from California to England two months earlier with their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
