Meghan and Harry Get Standing Ovation at Youth Summit, Booed Outside

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry left their critics at the door as they took the stage at a youth summit to rapturous applause during their return to Britain.

The couple faced a small but noisy protest and some booing outside the One Young World Summit 2022 at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester but by the time they walked through cheering crowds in the auditorium the hostility must have felt miles away.

The couple got a standing ovation as they took the stage and were name checked by Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who guests were informed by the host was nicknamed "the King of the north."

By the time the Sussexes arrived, they had already run a gauntlet of media attention, with photographers capturing their departure from their U.K. home, Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor, and their arrival at London's Euston Station, where they caught the train.

They were then filmed leaving their Manchester hotel by ITV News before finally arriving at the venue, where a protester held a placard that read: "FO Harry and Me-Gain Fake Royals."

When Meghan's keynote speech finally came, she struck a conciliatory tone, emphasizing how "nice" it was to be back in Britain, with no reference to her past swipes at the palace or Harry's at the alleged bigotry of the country's press.

The Duchess of Sussex said: "It is very nice to be back in the U.K., and it is very nice to be back with all of you at One Young World.

"As you'll likely hear many times this week, as we just heard, you'll hear all sorts of things, some very heavy, some very uplifting, but the resounding spirit I believe you will hear is that you are the future. But I would like to add to that, that you are also the present.

"You are the ones driving the positive and necessary change needed across the globe now, in this very moment, and for that I am so grateful to be in your company today."

She also spoke about being a mom and praised Prince Harry, who watched on from his seat: "I am thrilled that my husband is able to join me here this time. To be able to see and witness firsthand my respect for this organization, this incredible organization, and all that it provides as well as accomplishes.

"One Young World has been an integral part of my life for so many years before I met him. So, to meet again here on U.K. soil with him by my side makes it all feel full circle."

Meghan's speech played it safe, avoiding territory the couple have been criticized about in the past.

Shortly before she spoke, rock star and activist Bob Geldof took a veiled swipe at outgoing U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said his own generation's systems had failed and declared that the youth gathered around him would be the ones to pay the price.

Meghan avoided all of that choosing instead to focus on the relatively safe territory of her own past experiences of One Young World, having attended its summits twice before in 2014 and 2019.

And she weaved some humility into her words, describing how nervous she was at the first event: "Have any of you today so far had that feeling, that pinch me moment where you just go 'how am I here?'

"It's a lot and at that dinner there were about 20 to 30 of us for the counselors and there I was, the girl from Suits, and I was surrounded by world leaders, humanitarians, prime ministers and activists that I have such a deep and long-standing respect and admiration for—and I was invited to pull up a seat at the table.

"I was so overwhelmed by this experience, I think I even saved my little paper place card that said my name on it. Just proof that I was there, proof that I belonged. Because the truth was, I wasn't sure that I belonged."

There was some criticism in the media following her speech, with some focussing on her references to herself.

Ingrid Seward, author of Prince Philip Revealed, told The Sun: "I can't visualize or comprehend how the 2,000 young people understood a word of what she was talking about.

"It made no sense. It was all about her and related everything to herself. I don't think she knew what she was talking about. It was just 'me, me, me' and praising herself."

The Daily Mail also noted 54 references to herself during the seven-minute speech, though she rounded off by directly addressing the young people gathered around her, telling them: "Your time is now."

And she was also sure to take time to plead for less criticism in the world.

Meghan said: "And, just as a side bar, earlier this afternoon we sat down with a few of you delegates and it was incredibly inspiring; the resounding themes that came up about representation, about inclusion, about access and about trying to shift the global perspective for all of us as a global community to one of curiosity over criticism."

Meanwhile, a woman outside the venue, named only as Janet, told MailOnline: "She's a social climber… she thought she could be a celebrity in the Royal Family and she's the most toxic, divisive woman I've ever heard of in my life."

Next stop, Harry and Meghan visit Germany for an event on September 6 publicizing the next Invictus Games, the prince's tournament for injured ex-servicemen and women.