Meghan's starring role!

Meghan's starring role! Duchess of Sussex is pretty in peach at the National Theatre as she makes her debut as royal patron after succeeding the Queen

• The Duchess of Sussex was announced as the new royal patron of the National Theatre earlier this month 
• She succeeds the Queen after 45 years and is also patron of the Association of Commonwealth Universities
• Meghan, who is around six months pregnant, met with staff and apprentices working behind the scenes
• She also watched a performance by children working with the NT's primary school programme 
• Elsewhere on Wednesday, Harry met young people from across the Commonwealth at Lancaster House 
• The Duchess of Sussex met staff at the National Theatre on London's South Bank today in her first official visit since succeeding the Queen as its royal patron. 
  Meghan, who is six months pregnant, wore head-to-toe peach, teaming a £1,728 Brandon Maxwell mini dress with a matching £2,004 blazer, £440 Aquazzura pumps and a Carolina Herrera clutch.
  Her hair was styled in a high chignon with a sleek side parting, as she arrived to learn about the work of the institution and meet staff and apprentices working behind the scenes.
  The duchess has an affinity with theatre having spent a decade working as an actress in television, where she was best known for playing lawyer Rachel Zane in the hit legal drama series Suits.
  During her visit Meghan, 37, joined a workshop with members of the Pericles production before meeting apprentices working as technicians in different departments from carpentry to metalwork and painting.
  +31

  
  The Duchess of Sussex arrives at the National Theatre on London 's South Bank for her first official visit since succeeding the Queen as its royal patron. Meghan, who is six months pregnant, wore head-to-toe peachGuest of honour: The National Theatre  uploaded footage of the Duchess of Sussex arriving at their London headquarters this afternoon showing her being greeted by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Lambeth (left) and meeting Percy, Blessing and Sharong from the Pericles Public Acts company (right)
• Pericles was the National Theatre's first production of 2018 from its award-winning participatory programme, Public Acts. 
  The Emily Lim-directed show brought over 200 people of all ages from across London together with six professional actors to breathe new life into the Shakespeare classic in a musical version. 
  Although Meghan spent ten years working in television, her background is in theatre; as well as a double major in theatre and international relations from Northwestern University, she volunteered at a performing arts after-school programme for children in underprivileged school districts in Los Angeles. Earlier this month, following weeks of speculation, Meghan was officially announced as patron of the National Theatre, a post previously held by the Queen for 45 years. 
  The duchess has previously spoken of her passion for using the arts to bring people from different backgrounds together, and her visit today will focus on the work that the NT does, as well as meeting some of the talented teams and apprentices working behind the scenes.
  Each year, the National Theatre puts on a range of productions that play in London, on tour around the UK, on Broadway and across the globe. 
  In 2017 and 2018 alone, it staged 19 productions at the South Bank, ten across the UK, three in the West End and six internationally. 
  Its UK-wide learning and participation programme supports young people's creative education through performance and writing programmes like Connections, New Views and Let's Play. The NT extends its reach through digital programmes including NT Live, which broadcasts the best of British theatre to over 2,500 venues in 65 countries, and the free streaming service On Demand In Schools, used by nearly 60 per cent of UK state secondary schools.
  Founded by Sir Laurence Olivier in 1963, the NT first had its home at the Old Vic theatre, but relocated to its current home on the South Bank in 1976.  
  Meghan is also patron of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the world's first and oldest international university network representing higher education across all 53 Commonwealth countries.
  Elsewhere on Wednesday, Prince Harry in his role of Commonwealth Youth Ambassador will meet young people from across the Commonwealth at a roundtable discussion at Lancaster House.
  Talking about her own acting experience today, Meghan said: 'It's unbelievable to be out on stage, that whole sense of self that comes out...just so wonderful.'
  Today was her first public visit to the National Theatre but she revealed she'd been in secret last month to watch a special performance of primary school pupils performing WW1 inspired pieces - and the kids had never known.He revealed that Meghan had told in about a hitherto unknown passion for Greek tragedy, which she studied at university.
  Speaking about the children she met, he said: 'She was very encouraging to them to them and asked them what it was like to revisit the piece of work, whether it was easy to remember their lines and how it was to work together. 
  'That certainly is something at the forefront of Public Act participatory project, but it is also at the forefront of what she sees the value in the arts as being – as an opportunity for people from all backgrounds to come together in the shared endeavor of making theatre.
  'We are completely delighted to have the duchess as our patron and look forward enormously to working with her and to seeing her as often as she's got time for.'
  Lisa Burger, executive director of the National theatre, added: 'Certainly the Duchess's profile will mean that people who wouldn't otherwise be aware of the National's mission to make excellent theater for everyone will be made apparent to a lot more people.'
  Sir Damon Buffini, chairman of the National Theatre said described Meghan as "delightful". 'The children got a lot of confidence from her being in the room and listening,' he said.