Show must go on: Harry and Meghan return to social media to share photos from Hubb Community Kitchen

It was business as usual for the couple, in their first Instagram upload since revealing they will take a step back as senior royals

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, visited London's Hubb Community Kitchen this week. Instagram / Sussex Royal
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They have maintained a silence since revealing in a bombshell announcement on Wednesday that they intend to "step back" as senior members of Britain's royal family.

But on Friday evening, amid reports of Queen Elizabeth II trying to resolve the familial rift "at pace", Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, made a return to social media.

Rather than addressing the royal crisis, it was instead business as usual for the couple, who took to their Instagram page to share unseen photos from a recent visit to London's Hubb Community Kitchen.

The organisation, which was founded in the wake of the devastating Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, has previously collaborated with Meghan.

Together with the kitchen's volunteers, the duchess launched a cookbook in September 2018 in support of families affected by the disaster, which claimed 72 lives.

Together: Our Community Cookbook featured recipes produced by women from the affected community, with a foreword penned by Meghan.

The duchess returned to the community kitchen, located at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, on Tuesday with Prince Harry, ahead of the couple's publicised visit to Canada House.

"These women came together in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy to cook meals for their families and neighbours who had been displaced from the fire," the post on the Sussex Royal Instagram page stated. "With funds from the successful cookbook, they have now been able to share their spirit of community with so many more. The Hubb continues to work with local organisations to build hope, bring comfort and provide not simply a warm meal, but with it, a sense of togetherness.

"The Duke and Duchess were so happy to reconnect with the women and hear about the projects they continue to develop to help those in their community and beyond."

Together: Our Community Cookbook marked Meghan's first solo charity project since joining the royal family upon her marriage in Prince Harry in May 2018.

However, the future of the couple's work with the royal family is currently cloudy, after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed this week they want to become "financially independent".

As part of what the couple deem a "progressive new role within this institution", they will still "support" the Queen, though in what capacity is yet to be confirmed.

Buckingham Palace’s official response said that there had been talks about the Sussexes future role in the family but that they were at an early stage.

"We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through," it said.

The duke and duchess added that they will split their time between the UK and North America in a bid "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".

The royals are also expected to reveal details of their "new charitable entity" in the near future.