Harry and Meghan go public

Meghan back for another stay at Palace — and she even hires a dog sitter at home

HAND in hand, Prince Harry and his actress girlfriend Meghan Markle walk through the streets of London as rumours of an impending engagement continue to grow.

The prince was pictured with the American-born divorcee, who has been spending a lot of time with him at Kensington Palace since the beginning of the year, after a romantic dinner at trendy private members’ club Soho House on Wednesday.

Harry, 32, was said by onlookers to be relaxed about being photographed with his new love, which is being seen by royal watchers as a sign of how seriously he is taking the relationship.

Another indication is that Miss Markle, 35, who is based in Canada where she films the hit television show Suits, has found a sitter for her dogs, Guy and Bogart, who live with her in Toronto.

According to sources, she wants to spend as much time as she can in London with the Queen’s grandson before she has to return for filming commitments in March.

Once a prolific social media user, Miss Markle has become much more circumspect about the information she puts out, not least because Harry is wary of such public forums.

She failed to highlight a charity trip to India last month – although some handpicked media were in attendance, it is believed – and has not posted any photographs on Instagram since December 11.

One source told the Mail that she may well move to London permanently by the end of the

‘She has all the credentials that Harry admires’

year, once her filming commitments have finished, and the creators of the legal drama she stars in are already looking at ways to write her out. They say Harry has fallen ‘heads over heels’ for the actress and is desperately keen for the relationship to work.

He has long wanted to settle down and have children, while Miss Markle is said to be equally keen on starting a family.

Both are said to have been enjoying living together like any ‘normal’ couple at Nottingham Cottage, Harry’s two-bedroom residence in the grounds of Kensington Palace.

One source said: ‘She is beautiful, accomplished, whip-smart and has all the humanitarian credentials that Harry so admires.

‘And although Meghan has her roots in the US and Canada, she is a keen traveller with a lot of friends in London, so moving over wouldn’t be too seismic.

‘The only issue would be getting [her dogs] Guy and Bogart settled permanently in the UK as the three of them come as a package.’

With the Queen due back from Norfolk next week, there is much speculation that the prince will take the opportunity to introduce his girlfriend to his grandmother, a sure sign that marriage is on the cards.

Although these sorts of introductions normally take years to achieve, the Queen has a soft spot for her grandson and wants to see him happy.

Harry is due to spend several weeks in Toronto later this year when the Invictus Games, his Paralympic-style event for injured servicemen and women, is held there. But after that, the source suggests, Miss Markle could become a permanent fixture in London.

The couple met last July after being introduced by Soho House consultant Markus Anderson, a mutual friend. Since then barely a few weeks have gone by without them criss-crossing the globe to spend time together.

Last month they enjoyed their first holiday together, visiting the Norwegian fjords.