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Prince Harry Is Kicking Off His Big Return to the U.K. This Week in Scotland

Prince Harry’s desire to forge a new life is taking him back to one of the oldest — and most royal — places of all: Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Duke of Sussex, 35, — who recently admitted that part of his exit from royal life is “saddening” — will visit the Scottish capital on Wednesday to take part in a working summit in support of his environmental tourism initiative, Travalyst.

The outing marks Harry’s first high-profile event in the U.K. since his unprecedented decision to step back from frontline royal duties in January. Wife Meghan Markle, 38, and the couple’s 9 month-old son, Archie, will not be present.

Launched in September, Travalyst aims to help both companies and consumers adapt their travel habits to benefit the environment and destination communities. The Edinburgh event will see Harry work with more than 100 members of the Scottish tourism and travel industry to iron out the practical details of just how this can be achieved.

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Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images
Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images

“Our ambition is to transform travel and tourism so that every holiday people take, every trip they book, will have a positive impact and better protect the destinations and communities they visit,” says a Travalyst spokesperson about the event, which will take place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Doug Peters/EMPICS/PA
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Doug Peters/EMPICS/PA

“Whether it is through the activities people do, where they stay, or how they get there, we are looking for ways to make it easier for everyone to choose, and for the industry to provide, more purposeful and sustainable options.”

Other than a brief welcome, Harry will not be making any speeches or talking part in any panels at the summit, which is being run in association with VisitScotland and Travalyst’s corporate partners Booking.com, Skyscanner, Trip.com, TripAdvisor and Visa.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been spending the majority of their time on Vancouver Island in Canada developing their new lives and negotiating with Buckingham Palace over the finer details of just how their new roles will work.

On Friday, this led to the couple confirming that they will not use the word “royal” moving forward.

“While The Duke and Duchess are focused on plans to establish a new non-profit organisation, given the specific UK government rules surrounding use of the word ‘Royal,’ it has been therefore agreed that their non-profit organisation, when it is announced this Spring, will not be named Sussex Royal Foundation,” according to a statement from their spokesperson. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not intend to use ‘SussexRoyal’ in any territory post Spring 2020.”

The Edinburgh summit is also the opening event of an extended program for the Duke and Duchess that will see Queen Elizabeth‘s grandson team up with Jon Bon Jovi and the Invictus Games Choir for a recording session at the legendary Abbey Road Studios on Friday, Feb. 28.

Harry and Meghan will then make a joint appearance at the Endeavour Fund Awards for injured service personnel on March 5, while Harry will fly — or in this case, drive — solo with six-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton at historic Silverstone racetrack the following day.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/POOL/AFP via Getty
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/POOL/AFP via Getty

The couple will step out together again on March 7 to attend the Mountbatten Music Festival at Royal Albert Hall, which will mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 80th anniversary of the formation of Britain’s Commandos — of whom, Harry was Captain-General until his decision to step back from front-line royal duties.

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On March 8, the Duke and Duchess will complete their “farewell tour,” with Meghan marking International Women’s Day with a special appearance, details of which are yet to be announced. The pair will then join Prince William, Kate Middleton and the rest of the royal family for a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London.

Prince Harry‘s final royal event is expected to be at the London Marathon on April 26. The agreement reached between the Queen and the couple in January will be put into effect starting March 31.