MEGHAN Markle beamed tonight as she and Harry joined Sir Bob Geldof on stage ahead of her first speech in Britain since Megxit.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walked hand-in-hand as they arrived for the One Young World summit at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex looked delighted as they joined One Young World counsellors on stage tonight
Meghan and Harry clapped as they watched performers parade the flags of over 200 countries on stage
The pair greet Cofounder of One Young World, Kate Robertson, on stage
Meghan and Harry exchange smiles after taking their seats on stage
The duchess, dressed in a vivid red high-necked sleek trouser suit, smiled as she made her way through the auditorium to huge cheers.
She and Harry then sat centre stage on a bench as they joined One Young World counsellors to watch flag bearers parade the flags of more than 200 countries during the opening ceremony.
Meghan, with her hair in a ponytail, swayed in time to the music which included Dancing In The Streets and Respect.
Her speech on gender equality will be her first in-person address in the UK since quitting royal life in 2020.
Meghan is a counsellor for the organisation, and the summit brings together more than 2,000 young leaders from more than 190 countries.
Those attending tonight’s event – which brings together young leaders from more than 190 countries – were reportedly told to be in their seats at least an hour before Meghan took to the stage.
And the area was cleared 90 minutes before she and Prince Harry showed up, as part of a ring-of-steel security operation.
Meghan and Harry touched down in Manchester earlier today after they were spotted leaving the grounds of Windsor Castle.
They then drove 25 miles to London Euston to catch a train up north.
The couple walked in through a side entrance of the station before making the two-and-a-half-hour journey to Manchester Piccadilly.
It is also the first time the duchess has been in the country since the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June.
Their brief European trip will also see them travel to Germany for the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 One Year To Go event, as well as the WellChild Awards in London where Harry will deliver a speech.
It comes just days after Meghan told The Cut magazine it takes “a lot of effort” to forgive and hinted that she can “say anything”.
The 41-year-old also claimed that “just by existing” she and Harry were “upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy” before they stepped down as senior working royals.
The couple are believed to have touched down on British soil on Saturday and they are staying just half a mile from William and Kate – though they reportedly have no plans to meet until after Harry’s bombshell memoir is released.
The book is due out later this year, along with the pair’s fly-on-the-wall documentary.
Security will be at the forefront of the prince’s mind as he travels from his home in California for the high-profile appearances.
The duke is bringing legal action over a decision to remove his taxpayer-funded official armed bodyguards while in Britain.
Greater Manchester Police said security for today’s summit had been “privately sourced” and its officers were not involved.
It means the couple will avoid any chance of hearing public boos, a smattering of which greeted them at the Queen’s thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral in June.
Meghan beamed as she joined counsellors in applause
She and Harry joined the likes of Bob Geldof for the inspiring event
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry beamed as they arrived at the summit tonight
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their way to the stage as they joined One Young World representatives from around the world
The Duchess of Sussex beaming at her husband in the back of a car
Harry and Meghan leaving Windsor for Manchester
