Meghan makes her royal debut
Protection officer watches Harry’s girlfriend as they attend first official event together
MEGHAN Markle has made her first appearance with Prince Harry at an official event, albeit three rows and 18 seats apart.
But while she still didn’t have a ring on her finger, there was one noticeable addition – the reassuring presence of a Scotland Yard police bodyguard.
The prince is in Toronto, where Meghan lives, for his Invictus Games, a Paralympic- style event for injured service personnel.
There had been fevered speculation that the couple would allow themselves to be photographed after 14 months of dating, but in the event Miss Markle, 36, slipped into the opening ceremony on her own, while Harry, 33, sat in a VIP box with US First Lady Melania Trump and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.
The actress was elegant but edgy in a flirty £95 Aritzia chiffon shoestring strap dress over, slinging a £518 Mackage leather jacket over her shoulders. She completed the outfit with a pair of cream Jimmy Choo heels.
She was accompanied by one of her closest friends, Markus Anderson, who is said to have introduced her to Harry.
The American actress, who was sitting in an area for dignitaries, could be seen clapping enthusiastically when the UK team entered the Air Canada Centre auditorium on Saturday. And she burst into a broad smile when her boyfriend appeared on a large video screen as he was congratulated for setting up the Invictus Games.
She also couldn’t resist laughing with the audience when Harry stumbled over his French during a speech to launch the games, which are set to last all week.
As the prince was attending a major official engagement with world leaders, there was no place – for now, at least – immediately by his side.
But while there was no obvious entourage around her, a royalty and diplomatic protection squad officer could, significantly, be seen in a stairwell a few feet away. As a ‘ commoner’, Miss Markle is not actually entitled to a taxpayer-funded, armed SO14 police officer.
But the man had very clearly been stationed there to keep an eye on her and was in clear public view for at least half an hour.
‘We have a role to play’
After Harry had finished his speech – but before the show had ended – he ushered Miss Markle and her companion out and it is believed she left the venue with the prince in his blacked-out car a few min- utes later. Although Harry is a frequent visitor to her rented house in an exclusive suburb of Toronto, where she films legal drama Suits, the prince is spending the week in a city hotel as he is conducting official duties.
Her appearance on Saturday will, inevitably, ramp up speculation that the couple are close to announcing an engagement.
Sources have told the Mail that Miss Markle certainly plans to spend more time in London from November and has given up her car in anticipation of this.
There was no sign of her yesterday, however, as the prince spent time with Invictus competitors. He was meeting and greeting some of the servicemen and women taking part for more than an hour, handing out medals.
In his speech on Saturday, Harry said: ‘Invictus is about the dedication of the men and women who served their countries, confronted hardship, and refused to be defined by their injuries.
‘Invictus is about the families and friends who faced the shock of learning that their loved ones had been injured or fallen ill – and then rallied to support them on their journey of recovery.
‘And above all, Invictus is about the example to the world that all service men and women – injured or not – provide about the importance of service and duty.
‘In a world where so many have reasons to feel cynical and apathetic, I wanted to find a way for veterans to be a beacon of light, and show us all that we have a role to play; that we all win when we respect our friends, neighbours, and communities. That’s why we created Invictus. Not only to help veterans recover from their physical and mental wounds; but also to inspire people to follow their example of resilience, optimism, and service in their own lives.’
Some 550 competitors from 17 nations are taking part in 12 adaptive sports.