The Duchess of Sussex has enjoyed a day out with the Queen in Cheshire as they took part in their first official engagements together.
Thousands turned out to catch a glimpse of the newlywed as she accompanied the 92-year-old monarch for the first time without her husband Harry on official engagements in Runcorn, Widnes and Chester.
The pair travelled up to the north-west of England on the Royal Train and arrived to cheers from flag-waving schoolchildren at a blustery
Runcorn train station on Thursday morning.
The Royals then took a short car journey to the Catalyst science museum in Widnes, where the Queen, wearing spring green coat by Stewart Parvin and matching hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan, unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the £1.86 billion bridge over the River Mersey.
The two appeared to share a joke together as they smiled while watching a performance by children from the Andrew Curphey Theatre Company.
“As Meghan walked away from me she turned back and said: ‘The children did great, by the way.’
“Meghan seemed really, really calm considering it was her first official engagement with the boss!”
Mr Redmond joked he should have asked Meghan if she wanted a part in his soap Hollyoaks.
He said: “I didn’t ask her, but there’s still lunch yet. She’ll have to go through the audition process like everybody else.”
Mrs Redmond said: “It’s fantastic to have them here, and it’s a big day for Cheshire.”
In the day’s only sombre moment, they joined the rest of the country in holding a minute’s silence at 12pm for the Grenfell victims, following their arrival in the historic city.
They then visited the Storyhouse arts centre, where a smiling Meghan occasionally leaned over to make a comment to the Queen as they watched performances, including songs by a choir of local schoolchildren.
The Queen walked down one side of the road and Meghan the other as they stopped to chat to people and collected dozens of floral bouquets and other gifts.
Meghan was spotted showing her wedding ring off to one group of well-wishers.
The crowds broke into deafening cheers as the two appeared on the town hall balcony together.
