Prince Harry, Meghan Markle hold hands on Cotswolds pub date

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were photographed holding hands as they strolled to a 16th-century Cotswolds pub on Thursday — the first time the couple has been seen together since their surprise move back to the UK in August.

They kept it casual for the outing to The Falkland Arms. Harry, 42, wore a Santa Barbara fire department baseball cap, a quiet nod to their Montecito home in California, while Markle, 45, opted for a low-key look as the pair ambled toward the centuries-old inn.

Fish and chips, pie and a royal welcome

Inside, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly ate like locals. Markle ordered gluten-free beer-battered haddock and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce, while Harry tucked into a chicken, ham and leek pie with seasonal greens, creamy mash and gravy.

A pub insider told the Sun the couple got no special treatment. "Everyone here gets the royal treatment — it doesn't matter who you are," the source said. "When they visited, Harry and Meghan just acted like locals."

The sighting comes after a bumpy settling-in period for the family. Their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, left a $35,000-a-year prep school after just two days over security concerns, and Markle's phone number was reportedly leaked after she joined a parents' WhatsApp group.

Still, Harry sounded upbeat about the return earlier this week. "It's been great to be back on British soil," the "Spare" author told CTV, adding that his kids "are happy in school."