Prince Harry and Girlfriend Meghan Markle Photographed Together in London
— -- Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle were photographed for the first time together in London's West End.
Harry, 32, and Markle, 35, slipped out of Kensington Palace Wednesday for a date to watch “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” at the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.
The two, who both wore hats on their heads, looked like any other couple enjoying the holiday season together on the streets of London. The U.K.'s The Sun newspaper obtained the first photo of Harry and Markle together in public.
The couple, who have been dating seriously since the summer, also reportedly got into the Christmas spirit Monday night by buying a Christmas tree and picking up some mistletoe in London's Battersea.
Harry and the “Suits” actress purchased a 6-foot Nordmann fir from Pines and Needles, a Christmas tree shop not far from Kensington Palace with a big celebrity clientele.
Harry and Markle reportedly browsed the shop for about 30 minutes. Rather than buying one of the 12-foot trees available at Pine and Needles, they settled on a more modest size and carried it out themselves. The shopkeepers told British tabloids the couple were friendly with the American saleswoman who sold them the tree.
Sam Lyle, one of the brothers who owns the store, told The Telegraph newspaper Harry and Markle stunned onlookers when they walked in.
"We have looked after some of Britain's highest-profile names for nearly 20 years but you could have heard a pin drop -- or a needle -- when Prince Harry and Meghan walked into the store,” Lyle said. “They were completely charming together and blissfully unaware that our jaws had hit the floor.”
He added, “They chose a gorgeous Nordmann Fir and walked away after exchanging Christmas pleasantries."
Markle, who spends much of her time in Toronto, where “Suits” is filmed, is not expected to join the royal family’s annual Christmas celebration at Sandringham. Royal protocol would generally preclude Prince Harry from bringing a girlfriend to a family holiday with Queen Elizabeth II.