The Duchess of Sussex joined community actors at the National Theatre as she made her first official visit to the institution since becoming its patron.

Meghan, a former actress, watched as people from neighbourhoods across London took part in a workshop in a rehearsal space.

The duchess, who is heavily pregnant, was greeted by Rufus Norris, director of the National Theatre, who held a private meeting with her in December ahead of the patronage announcement earlier this month.

Meghan has an affinity with the National Theatre after spending a decade working as an actress in television, where she was best known for her role in the hit US legal drama series Suits, playing paralegal-turned-lawyer Rachel Zane.

She also has a theatre background having studied at Northwestern University, Illinois, and volunteered at a performing arts after-school programme for children in underprivileged school districts in Los Angeles.

The American-born duchess is a strong believer in using the arts to bring people from different backgrounds and communities together, and her views chime with the National Theatre’s ethos of producing world-class theatre with the aim of being as inclusive, diverse and national as possible.