Meghan wears Jackie O dress Commonwealth reception

Meghan wears Jackie O dress Commonwealth reception

She stepped onto the world stage on Wednesday in her first major engagement on behalf of the Royal family.

And Meghan Markle was in the spotlight once again tonight as she joined Prince Harry at a Commonwealth  women's empowerment reception at the Royal Aeronautical Society, just a stone's throw from Buckingham Palace.

The royal bride-to-be opted for a £266 ($375) 'Jackie O' dress from Black Halo, inspired by the iconic First Lady, which she teamed with a pair of £895 ($1,260) 18kt white gold and diamond earrings from Canadian jeweller Birks - no doubt a nod to the country she called home for seven years while filming legal drama Suits.

Meghan, who will tie the knot with Harry next month, looked effortlessly chic in the fitted LBD, which featured an asymmetrical neckline and was cinched at the waist with a leather belt.

According to Black Halo's LA-based founder Laurel Berman, the Jackie O dress is a 'modern classic' designed to make women feel 2in taller and 5 lbs thinner'.

The royal bride-to-be, a passionate advocate of women's rights and self-proclaimed feminist, kept her makeup to a minimum, adding just a hint of bronzer and a pink lip, and styled her hair in her signature messy bun.

The couple mingled and chatted with guests at the Women's Empowerment reception which was hosted by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson as part of this week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Harry and Meghan, who are due to tie the knot next month, will meet representatives from charities and organisations working to promote global gender equality through girls' education - a cause close to Meghan's heart.

Organisations include the Malala Fund, Plan International, the Varkey Foundation, and Code Camp.

Earlier on Thursday afternoon, Harry was joined by his brother the Duke of Cambridge for the CHOGM formal opening event at Buckingham Palace - and the brothers will return to the royal residence once again tonight for a glittering state banquet.

Tonight's event comes days after the newly appointed Commonwealth youth ambassador paved the way for his fiancée's emerging role, saying she is 'hugely excited' about joining him in his royal duties.

Experts have noted it is unusual for someone who has not yet married into the royal family to be involved in a high-profile occasion such as the CHOGM summit this week. 

But the Queen, who is Head of the Commonwealth, has made clear she sees Harry and his future bride as linchpins of her work with the so-called 'family of nations'. 

Meghan, who has given up her acting career to devote herself to being a full-time royal, has no previous links to the Commonwealth, but has worked with the UN as a women's advocate for Political Participation and Leadership and undertaken several humanitarian missions.

While speaking to guests tonight, the couple praised the work of young activists campaigning to improve the education rights of girls around the world. 

Talking to a group of girls and young women who are championing the rights of girls to 12 years of free education, Harry said: 'What you are doing is absolutely amazing.' 

Kiki James, an activist from Nigeria who is a champion with the Malala Fund, named after the schoolgirl who was shot in Pakistan campaigning for girls' education rights, said: 'He said we are moving with the tide, moving in the right direction.'

Peace, a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Nigeria who spoke at the summit earlier this week during the Educate to Empower session, said: 'I told Meghan she was pretty, which she is. She said she watched me give my speech. She said she was really impressed, and that that is what she wants girls to do.'

Hope, an 18-year-old from Kenya who campaigns on equal education rights for girls, said she told the couple and Mr Johnson 'that if they empower girls we won't let them down'.

She added: 'Meghan Markle was talking about how it has a rippling effect - how if you empower girls they empower the next generation in the community.'

Harry told another group of activists: 'It starts here. You are already doing amazing stuff. Now you have to energise.' 

Globally, more than 130 million girls are not in school, and in conflict zones girls are twice as likely to be out of school than boys. 

At tonight's reception, as part of a drive to make sure that every girl gets 12 years of 'quality education and learning', Mr. Johnson will launch his Platform for Girls Education initiative.

It comprises a group of 12 influential figures from across the Commonwealth, who will drive forward the political momentum on girls' education, hold countries to account and champion good practice.

The couple are due to marry at Windsor Castle on May 19 and Meghan has voiced her desire to 'hit the ground running' when it came to her official duties and her desire to facilitate change, with a p