As a royal patron of the Rugby League, Harry attended the appearance at Buckingham Palace.
Prince Harry has returned to his royal duties!
The 35-year-old Duke of Sussex attended his first public appearance on Thursday since he and his wife, Meghan Markle, announced their intention to step back as senior members of the royal family.
The previously announced engagement at Buckingham Palace involved Harry, 35, hosting the Rugby League World Cup 2021 draws for men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments.
Harry has been a royal patron of the Rugby League since 2016, taking on the title from his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who was the royal patron for 64 years.
The Duke of Sussex appeared to be in good spirits during the outing, smiling and laughing with children before watching them play a game. However, when speaking with the press, the tone was a bit different. According to several royal reporters, Harry ignored questions about his and Meghan's future, but laughed when the question was asked, maintaining a sense of humor about the situation.
Harry is currently alone in England while his wife and son, Archie, are staying on Vancouver Island in Canada. The couple shocked the royal family and the world last week when they announced their decision to step back as senior members of the royal family, become financially independent, and split their time between North America and the U.K.
In the time since, Harry has met with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Prince William to discuss his future. Following the meeting on Monday, Queen Elizabeth released a statement saying she and her family were "entirely supportive" of Prince Harry and Meghan, but adding that there was still much to work out within the family.
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