Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend education event in Birmingham

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend education event in Birmingham

A ten-year-old girl with dreams of becoming an actress had a day to remember today as she was embraced by Meghan Markle on a visit to mark International Women's Day. 

Meghan's fiancé Prince Harry pulled astonished Sophia Richards out of the crowd in Birmingham to meet the US actress on the couple's walkabout after she told him of her ambition to follow in the footsteps of the Suits star.

Sophia looked stunned as she became the envy of her classmates this morning, with Harry telling her: 'You need to be confident and you can achieve whatever you want to achieve.' 

The schoolgirl, who is a pupil at the Oasis Academy Warndon in Worcester, called it a 'dream come true' to meet Meghan, adding: 'I will never forget this day.'

She said afterwards: 'Meghan told me that I can achieve whatever I want to achieve. And Meghan said she would like to see me on TV when I become an actress.'

Meghan and Harry made the visit with the aim of inspiring young girls to pursue the 'Stem' subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths, attending an event run by social enterprise Stemettes which brought together female students from local secondary schools. 

The former Suits actress, who prides herself on being a feminist who is outspoken about female empowerment, then gave advice to aspiring female doctors, engineers and scientists as she encouraged schoolgirls to 'fly in the face of stereotypes'. 

In return, the 'Stemettes' said of her picking up an inventing kit: 'In the same way that when she wears a dress we all buy it, here she's picked up [the kit] so let's try it. We could follow a different kind of fashion for once.'

Meghan was speaking in Birmingham to Tasneem Chihani, 14, who picked Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, the founder of the social enterprise Stemettes, as her inspiring woman.

She nodded and smiled as she said: 'A woman in the face of society is seen as one who has to be pretty, thin and quiet.

'The one who dares to fly in the face of all these stereotypes is the best kind of role model a young female can have.'

Meghan also embraced Pippa Roberts, aged ten, from Mere Green Primary School in Sutton Coldfield after a request from the girl who said: 'I said, can I have a hug and she said yes - it was nice.' 

The former actress also joked about the British weather with Canadian student Brandy Davis, 20. Brandy, from Toronto, said: 'Meghan came over and we exchanged pleasantries, and I said I was from Canada. She told Harry and he said 'Canadians are everywhere'.

'Then Meghan asked me what I thought about the weather. She said people here complain about about the weather, and I said my goodness, they don't know. We Canadians know about the weather. She said 'yes, we're in the same boat'.'

Ms Davis, who is studying at Warwick University on exchange from Queens University, Canada, added: 'She was absolutely lovely. She had a smile on her face the whole time, and she made a point of going to everyone.'

Meghan embraced the girl as she and Harry marked International Women's Day in Birmingham.

Student Charlotte Highsmith, from Oxford, was overcome with excitement after meeting Meghan and said: 'Oh my God, it was worth the wait - I've missed my lecture.'

The 20-year-old, who is studying criminology and policing at Birmingham City University, added: 'Meghan just thanked us for waiting in the rain for her, but it wasn't a problem.'

Two elderly sisters, Irene Gould, 82, and her younger sibling June Dickinson, 78, were also ecstatic after meeting Harry and his fiancee.

Mrs Gould said: 'We were just so pleased to meet them, and how beautiful Meghan is. We thanked Harry for coming to see us and wished them all the best for their marriage.'  

Chatting with the crowds, Meghan admitted she has been yelling Harry's name and said 'I am shouting it all day.'

Susanne Raybould, 69, from South Wales, said: 'I said to Harry 'my son-in-law is Harry, my grandson is Harry, my father is Harry so I'm shouting Harry is all day'. He said 'and Meghan is'. Meghan said 'I am shouting it all day'.'

Outside the Millenium Point centre in the heart of the Midlands city, the couple spent time chatting to Susanne and her husband Philip Raybould, 68. 

Mr Raybould, from Mountain Ash, said: 'They wanted to know why we were here and our daughter works at Millenium Point. We wanted to see them as well so it was both reasons.

'Harry said 'if you're from South Wales how have you managed to get here because it's snow down there?' I said it has been bad but it's all thawed now so we've managed to get here quite easily.'

And Harry later made a promise to a school girl that he may find it hard to keep - as he offered her the crown jewels. Cheeky Aisha, seven, 

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