Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have once again proven themselves as firm crowd favourites.
While greeting hundreds of flag-waving fans and well-wishers outside Cardiff Castle during their first official joint visit to Wales on Thursday, the newly-engaged couple excitedly received a sweet wedding present – from their mini-mes, no less!
Harry Smith and Megan Taylor, from a local primary school, presented the loved-up duo with a Celtic spoon engraved with their initials. And while a kitchen utensil mightn’t sound romantic at first blush, the custom of carving and giving ‘Love Spoons’ dates back centuries in Wales.
In fact, young men would gift them as a token of their affection.
Upon receiving the lovely present, the duchess-to-be reportedly told the younger Megan “you’ve got freckles, just like me.”
Meghan, 36, looked stunning in a familiar colour palette of neutrals for the occasion, opting for a long black Stella McCartney coat cinched at the waist with a wide ribbon-style belt and black boots. She accented the look with a saddlebag-shaped purse in emerald green by the British brand Demellier.
Harry, 33, kept things low-key in a black overcoat with a bright blue sweater over a white shirt.
During their whistle-stop tour to the region, the duo also dropped by Star Hub — a community and leisure centre in Tremorfa to see how sport is being used to engage young people and aid social development.
It was here that the beloved prince encouraged a group of dancing youngsters to ‘mob’ his fiancée, saying: “Let’s all give Meghan a group hug!”
After swarming his bride-to-be in cuddles and squeals of delight for a few seconds, Prince Harry jokingly interrupted.
“And release,” he said. “She’s mine!”
The couple’s visit to Wales — complete with the hand-holding we’ve come to expect from the lovely duo! — follows successful visits to Nottingham and Brixton in south London. It’s all part of their get-to-know Britain tour in the countdown to the royal wedding on May 19.
WATCH: Prince Harry encourages kids to swarm his bride-to-be with cuddles. Post continues…
The couple became engaged over a roast chicken dinner at their home, Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace.
“It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage; just a standard typical night for us. Roasting a chicken… trying to roast a chicken,” Harry said of the private moment during an interview with BBC News broadcaster Mishal Husain.
“She didn’t even let me finish, she said ‘can I say yes, can I say yes?’ and then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger and I was like can I — can I give you the ring? She goes — oh yes the ring.”
“It was a really nice moment, it was just the two of us and I think managed to catch her by surprise as well.”
Meghan added: “It was so sweet and natural and very romantic.”
The pair will tie the knot at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.