It looks like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are rewriting the royal rule book! The couple, who announced their engagement on Monday, looked blissfully happy as they arrived at the Nottingham Contemporary on Friday, and displayed their love for one another by holding hands and putting their arms around each other. Public displays of affection have previously been avoided by the royal family at official events, due to their position as working representatives of the British monarchy. Although there is no specific rule forbidding royals to show their affection in public, the unspoken instructive would explain why Prince William and Kate rarely show their affection for one another in public, and have been photographed holding hands less than a dozen times in the past ten years.
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Harry and Meghan held hands at the outing
HELLO! Magazine's royal correspondent Emily Nash previously explained: "The Duke and Duchess are almost always seen in photographs taken during official engagements so they are at 'work' and it would be unprofessional to hold hands. They also need to shake hands with a huge number of people as they meet then, so aside from being on duty, it wouldn't be very practical!"
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The pair visited Nottingham together
Harry and Meghan showed their easy-going, loving relationship during their first TV interview since becoming engaged. Speaking about the proposal, Harry said: "It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage; just a standard typical night for us," to which Meghan interjected: "Just a cosy night, it was - what we were doing just roasting chicken… and it just - just an amazing surprise, it was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee." He joked: "She didn't even let me finish, she said can I say yes, can I say yes and then were was hugs and I had the ring in my finger and I was like can I - can I give you the ring? She goes - oh yes the ring… So no, it was - it was a really nice moment, it was just the two of us and I think managed to catch - catch her by surprise as well."