The Duke of Sussex drops 'Prince' and has now asked to be addressed simply as 'Harry'

Photo / Getty

Photo / Getty

Prince Harry has returned to the United Kingdom for his final engagements before stepping away from royal life.

However, during his first public appearance since confirming the agreement that he and wife Meghan Markle will be stepping back as senior members of the British royal family, the Duke of Sussex asked to be addressed simply as "Harry".

Yesterday the 35-year-old attended an event at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre for his eco-tourism initiative Travalyst - which he launched last summer along with brands including Booking.com, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor, Trip.com and Visa to try and make tourism and travel more environmentally friendly and make greener options more accessible.

As he stepped on stage he told host Ayesha Hazarika to "call me Harry".

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In Scotland today, The Duke of Sussex and Travalyst have hosted a summit to launch their next phase of work, putting communities first, with a mission to create a more sustainable tourism industry. • “We are a coalition of partners with a shared goal to transform the future of tourism and travel for everyone – to give people access to better information and ensure the future development of tourism positively supports the destinations that the industry relies on, and that their communities depend on. We believe travel is a good thing. It is the heart of human experience, of cultural connections and of new friendships.” - The Duke of Sussex Travalyst is working to build a future where people are able to take holidays and trips that have social, environmental and economic benefits to communities and destinations built in. There is an increasing desire for these types of trips – and we want to make them a reality for everyone. At today’s summit in Edinburgh, representatives from across the Scottish tourism sector discussed the need to encourage and incentivise sustainable practices across the supply chain, in a way that meets the needs of consumers who want more clarity on how to choose more sustainable options. Image © PA / SussexRoyal

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To which she said to the delegates: "He's made it clear that we are all just to call him Harry. So ladies and gentlemen, please give a big, warm, Scottish welcome to Harry."

His request comes just days after he and Meghan released a statement confirming they wouldn't be using 'Royal' in their branding.

They said: "As The Duke and Duchess will no longer be considered full-time working Members of The Royal Family, it was agreed that use of the word 'Royal' would need to be reviewed as it pertains to organisations associated with them in this new regard ... While there is not any jurisdiction by The Monarchy or Cabinet Office over the use of the word 'Royal' overseas, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not intend to use 'Sussex Royal' or any iteration of the word 'Royal' in any territory (either within the UK or otherwise) when the transition occurs Spring 2020."

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“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.” - The Duke and Duchess of Sussex For more information, please visit sussexroyal.com (link in bio) Image © PA

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Harry has spent the past month in Canada with Meghan and their nine-month-old son Archie.

On March 5, Harry will be joined by Meghan at the Endeavour Fund Awards in London and two days later, they will be at the city's Royal Albert Hall for the Mountbatten Music Festival.

It is unclear if Meghan and Archie are currently in the UK or if they will join Harry at a later date.

The couple will officially step back as working royals on 31 March.

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