Prince Harry and Meghan Markle buy £60 Christmas tree in London park - from a New Yorker who had NO idea who they were 

  • Couple were reportedly seen at Christmas tree stall in Battersea Park last night
  • Seller Zaqia Crawford says they did 'cute coupley stuff' while buying £65 tree 
  • But she did not recognise them until colleague Ollie Wilkinson quietly told her
  • Mr Wilkinson said she liked the free mistletoe - but Harry said he finds it 'weird'  

By Richard Spillett and James Dunn For Mailonline

Published: 09:45 EST, 13 December 2016 | Updated: 17:35 EST, 13 December 2016

Prince Harry held his girlfriend Meghan Markle's hand as they carried a Christmas tree back to the car after some incognito festive shopping, it has been claimed.

The 32-year-old royal was seen buying a £65 Nordmann Fir from Pines and Needles in Battersea Park, south London, with his actress girlfriend on Monday evening.

Harry and the actress spent around half an hour in the pop-up store, before paying by card and walking hand-in-hand back to a people carrier.

Prince Harry and his girlfriend Meghan Markle were  reportedly out buying a Christmas Tree

The pair are said to have visited Pines and Needles in Battersea yesterday evening

The woman that sold them the tree, Zaqia Crawford (pictured), said they were 'doing lots of touching and laughing' as they picked out the tree - although she had no idea who they were

But Britain's most famous couple were served by Zaqia Crawford, originally from New York, who had no idea who they were as she sold her the tree. 

Miss Crawford, 30, said: 'It was a really casual situation. I had no idea who they were, so it was just like an ordinary customer conversation.'

She said they were doing 'cute coupley stuff' such as 'making each other laugh and being excited' and she was 'shocked' when her colleague told her who they were.

Although fellow worker Ollie Wilkinson, 22, the actress seemed much keener on the mistletoe than Harry, who didn't offer her a traditional kiss at the London pop-up.

Mr Wilkinson said: 'I knew exactly what it was so I thought I had to. I said 'would you like this mistletoe' and she [Meghan] said 'yes that would be great'.

'He [Harry] then squeezed one of the berries on it and was like 'I find this stuff weird' and then she was like 'oh, I really like it'.

'Then he walked off with the tree on his shoulder, holding her hand, and she was holding in her other hand a bunch of mistletoe.'

Sam Lyle (right), who runs the firm, said staff were shocked by the couple's entrance

But despite trying to maintain their discretion, Miss Crawford said they feelings towards each other were clear from their behaviour. 

She described them as 'totally happy, cute, coupley - but not overly mushy and gross'. 

'It was totally clear that they were a couple. It wasn't overly affectionate or anything like that - they were just doing cute, coupley stuff, like making each other laugh and being excited. Just lots of touching and laughing. They were just like any other couple,' she added.

They were just doing cute, coupley stuff, like making each other laugh and being excited 
 Zaqia Crawford

Miss Markle told the American sales assistant that she 'missed the food' in her homeland as she struck up a conversation about the US, while Harry asked her how she felt about London.

'I said 'it depends on the day you ask me, really - some days I like it, some days people suck'. He said 'how about today', I said 'today was a good day'... I always get those kind of conversations because of my accent,' she said.

Miss Markle, 35, was wearing a pair of stiletto boots and wool coat, while Harry donned a beanie hat and chinos, Miss Crawford said.

Harry offered to help Miss Crawford carry the tree and gave the suggested £1 donation to the charity Action for Children, before shaking her hand as they left.

Harry, 32, is understood to be spending the Yuletide apart from his new love as he visits Sandringham to be with his grandmother The Queen.

Meghan was out with a friend in Canada on Sunday, but is thought to have since flown to London

The couple's relationship, which began in the summer, was confirmed last month by Harry's communications secretary in a dramatic statement.

It described the 'wave of abuse and harassment' she has experienced since rumours of the couple's romance surfaced.

Kensington Palace declined to comment on the recent sighting.

And Sam Lyle, who runs the Christmas tree pop-up, described how people were utterly enthralled by the sighting yesterday.

He said: 'You could have heard a pin drop - or a needle - when Prince Harry and Meghan walked into the store.

'They were completely charming together and unaware that our jaws had hit the floor.

Actress Meghan Markle with a turkey ahead of American Thanksgiving from Instagram

'They chose a gorgeous Nordmann Fir and walked away after exchanging Christmas pleasantries.'

Fellow shopper Gary Spence said: 'It was a bit weird seeing Prince Harry browsing the Christmas trees. I thought he'd go for the biggest one around, but he just wanted a little six footer.'

Harry now lives in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace on the east side of Hyde Park.

Meghan was out in her home city of Toronto on Sunday but it is believed she may have taken a trans-Atlantic flight on Sunday or yesterday to be with Harry.

Earlier this week, Meghan wrote an essay for Elle UK magazine on racism in Hollywood and in the US.

Telling of her own campaigning, she wrote: 'You push for colour-blind casting, you draw your own box … you create the identity you want for yourself, just as my ancestors did when they were given their freedom.' 

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