There was something almost deliberately ordinary about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s latest appearance in Britain, and that may be exactly the point. After years of arguments over royal status, security, privacy and the Sussexes’ place within the monarchy, the couple have now been photographed walking into a Cotswolds pub like any other pair looking for somewhere to have lunch, sending a message that they do not appear to be demanding that Britain roll out the red carpet simply because they are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Harry, 42, and Meghan, 45, were spotted hand-in-hand as they arrived at the Falkland Arms in the Cotswolds on Friday, Oct. 2, marking one of their first public outings together since returning to the U.K. with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The photographs showed a relaxed-looking couple dressed down for an ordinary pub visit, with Meghan wearing a black sweater, dark pants, white sneakers and sunglasses, while Harry opted for jeans, sunglasses and a fall jacket, along with a Santa Barbara Fire Department baseball cap — a small reminder of the California life they left behind.

But it was what happened inside the pub that makes the outing particularly interesting.

“The Same As Anyone Else”

According to an insider at the Falkland Arms who spoke to PEOPLE, Harry and Meghan were not surrounded by a special royal arrangement or treated as though they had arrived for an official engagement.

“They were on their own and were treated the same as anyone else,” the insider said, adding that the couple was warmly welcomed during their visit.

That sentence may sound insignificant, but against the backdrop of the Sussexes’ complicated relationship with Britain, it carries a much bigger message.

Harry has spent years arguing over his security arrangements when he returns to the country, while the couple have faced questions about whether they can realistically enjoy a private existence while remaining among Britain’s most recognizable public figures. Yet at the Falkland Arms, the Sussexes appeared willing to walk through the door, sit down and simply enjoy their lunch like ordinary customers.

There was no suggestion that they expected a royal procession, wanted to be separated from everyone else or needed their titles to become the center of the experience.

There was also no confirmation that they called the photographers to capture the moment.

Yet that seemingly ordinary visit comes against a much more complicated backdrop, because not every reaction to the Sussexes’ return to Britain has been warm.

Reports have included criticism from people who have encountered the couple, including an account from a waitress from California who reportedly described them in an unflattering way, while other comments attributed to neighbors have been considerably harsher. Some reported local reactions have included claims that Meghan is unwelcome or that the couple’s presence has been inconvenient, although such comments represent individual opinions rather than the views of an entire community.

That contrast is worth noting.

Inside the Cotswolds pub, Harry and Meghan were reportedly welcomed and treated like ordinary customers. Elsewhere, they have faced scrutiny and criticism, with some locals reportedly questioning whether they should have returned to Britain at all.

For a couple attempting to establish a new chapter in the country, that creates an unavoidable reality: being treated like everyone else also means accepting that everyone else is free to form their own opinion of you.

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A Very Different Sussex Return

Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain has been surrounded by anything but ordinary circumstances.

Their move has triggered intense interest over their children’s schooling, their security situation and their long-term plans, while their continued connection to California has fueled questions about whether Britain is truly becoming their permanent home.

The reported criticism from neighbors adds another layer to that story. The Sussexes may be able to choose a quiet pub and dress casually, but they cannot control what people say about them once they are back in the country.

The Falkland Arms visit therefore offers a glimpse of what life in Britain could look like if they genuinely want to settle back into the country without constantly being defined by their royal status.

At least during this particular outing, they appeared comfortable with being ordinary customers rather than royal guests.

Meghan Has Already Been Embracing The Pub Life

The outing was also not Meghan’s first British pub visit since returning to the U.K.

On Sept. 21, she was spotted enjoying an afternoon with longtime friends and former Montecito neighbors Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi at The Three Horseshoes, an 18th-century pub near Burford, Oxfordshire.

The repeated pub appearances suggest the Sussexes are finding ways to experience Britain away from palace balconies, formal receptions and royal ceremonies. For Meghan in particular, who spent much of her life outside the British royal system before marrying Harry, there may be something symbolic about being able to enjoy these places without turning every appearance into a royal event.

But the reported reaction from the California waitress and the harsher comments attributed to some neighbors also underline the other side of that freedom.

Some people will welcome them. Others will remain skeptical. And some will be openly critical.

That is the unavoidable bargain that comes with trying to live an ordinary life while remaining two of the most recognizable members of the British royal family.

Harry, despite being the King’s son, may be discovering that returning home does not necessarily mean returning to the role he once occupied.

The Sussexes have made it clear through their actions that they want a life in Britain on their own terms. They may want security, privacy and a home for their children, but the Falkland Arms visit shows another side of that equation: being treated like everyone else may be something they are perfectly willing to accept.

The bigger question is whether they are equally prepared to accept everything that comes with it — including the praise, the indifference and the criticism.

That could ultimately become one of the most important tests of their new British chapter: not whether they can receive preferential treatment, but whether they can live comfortably without it.