Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Step Out at Santa Barbara Benefit — Their First Outing Since the Prince’s Royal Reunion

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a surprise joint appearance at the One805LIVE! concert.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, attended the event for the third year in a row on Saturday, Sept. 20, this time joined by Meghan, 44. The benefit was held at Kevin Costner’s oceanside estate in California and raises money for vital equipment and mental health programs that support Santa Barbara County’s first responders.

This year’s concert featured performances by Trisha Yearwood, Good Charlotte, The Fray, and others.

Meghan wore a midnight blue sleeveless shirtdress with tan heels, while Harry chose a dark jacket, shirt, and pants.

The outing marked the couple’s first public appearance since Harry’s recent reunion with his father, King Charles, during a private meeting in London.

At the concert, Meghan briefly joined Harry onstage before giving him a quick hug and stepping aside to watch as he presented an award to Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig.

Last year, Harry honored Santa Barbara County air support pilot Loren Courtney at the same event, and Meghan also attended the fundraiser in September 2023.

Harry’s connection to the cause is personal—he served as a helicopter pilot during his decade in the British Army, flying missions in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, as well as combat missions in Afghanistan.

The Duke of Sussex has recently returned to California, where he and Meghan have lived since 2020 after stepping back from royal duties. Earlier this month, Harry traveled to both the U.K. and Ukraine. In his home country, he took part in a series of charity events and reunited with his father for the first time in 19 months.

From there, he went on to Kyiv, where he showed support for wounded, sick, and injured members of the armed forces following more than three years of war.