END OF AN ERA

THE SOON-TO-BE- REUNITED ROYALS ARE KEEPING BUSY DURING AN EMOTIONAL WEEK

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As Prince Harry kicked off his final round of official outings before he and wife Meghan Markle officially step down as working royals on March31, brother Prince William and his wifeKate Middleton stepped out for an on-duty date night – all smiles despite the impending end of an era.

The parents of three glammed up to take in a charity performance of Dear Evan Hansen on February 25, as Harry – embracing his new role as a regular guy – flew commercial from Canada to London, then travelled by train to attend his final scheduled royal appearances.

Welcoming everyone at a summit for his environmental tourism initiative Travalyst in Edinburgh, Scotland, on February 26, the 35-year-old took steps to cement his new ‘commoner’ status. “He’s made it clear that we are all just to call him Harry,” host Ayesha Hazarika told the audience. “So, ladies and gentlemen, please give a big, warm, Scottish welcome to Harry.”

Speaking the next day, Hazarika said, “I got the impression he’s very focused on what he wants to do. He was pretty defiant as well. I didn’t sense that he thinks, ‘This has all been a nightmare, I’m going to hide away.’”

If Kate and Wills were affected by Harry’s royal exit, they didn’t show it. The Duchess of Cambridge swapped out her princess heels for casual trainers during her visit to London’s Olympic Park on the same day as Harry’s event, making an appearance for SportsAid, of which she is patron.

The 38-year-old tried her hand at taekwondo, packing a powerful punch into some pads after coaching from Olympic athlete Lutalo Muhammad. “Her right hand was mean,” he said afterwards. “Trust me, that was a hard punch. It was better than expected. She passed with flying colours. I’m glad I didn’t let her punch me!”