Meghan Mania! Harry's Girl Wows Wales

The beauty captivates her crowd

 It was a traditional fairytale backdrop to their modern royal relationship as Prince Harry and his bride-to-be Meghan Markle were greeted by thousands of well-wishers outside the idyllic Cardiff Castle in Wales.

Arriving an hour late for their second official engagement together this year, the couple immediately apologised to fans, who had been waiting in the biting cold since 6 am, explaining they’d faced train delays from London.

But it didn’t dampen the electric atmosphere at the castle as “Meghan mania” took hold, with hordes of screaming fans waving Welsh flags and holding up banners – one young girl writing, “My name is Meg too”, which captured the attention of the former Suits star.

As the smitten pair steered through the crowd, talking, hugging and even high-fiving, Harry was often seen giving his 36-year-old fiancée a reassuring touch to the waist. And while she may have broken royal protocol by signing autographs and taking selfies, there seemed no need for Harry to worry about Meghan.

As one onlooker says, “Meghan glided through the crowd like a seasoned pro, rather than a foreign actress on one of her first royal engagements. She dazzled the crowds with her warmth and assured American glamour.”

The couple then visited a local school, where Harry, 33, urged the children to “mob” his fiancée, shouting, “Let’s all give Meghan a group hug!” And his bride-to-be laughed as she was lovingly swamped by the pint-sized kids.