A charity worker has told of how Meghan Markle broke royal protocol by brushing away her handshake and sweeping her into a hug.
Alice Thompson, co-founder of charitable enterprise Social Bites, said Prince Harry's fiancee had wrapped her arms around her after being offered a handshake during the Edinburgh visit on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old told the Standard: "It was at the end when I went in for a handshake with Meghan and she just embraced me.
"They were both so genuine - showing the kind of interest and good nature you can't fake."
Ms Thompson had been showing the royal couple around the firm's Edinburgh site, where they help local homeless people find employment and regularly distribute food.
She told Ms Markle she had been motivated by a speech she made to the UN in 2015, in which she spoke about female empowerment.
"I told her I had often felt overshadowed by my male colleagues and got very close to giving up.
"But when I saw her UN speech, which I cried most of the way through, I just thought I couldn't give up yet.
"I relayed that to her and she was really touched. She seemed really engaged and spoke about how she used to volunteer in soup kitchens and told me how important she felt it was for women to succeed in business."
Staff offered Ms Markle the opportunity to come back and volunteer but only if she had "good tunes" to play on the office stereo.
"She confirmed she did, in fact, have 'good tunes'," Ms Thompson said.
And the hug was not the only break with royal etiquette, as Ms Thompson revealed she also forgot to address Harry as "Your Royal Highness" upon first meeting him.
"I apologised for not following protocol because I completely forgot to call Harry the right thing - but he seemed so down to earth, he didn't seem to mind at all.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Edinburgh - In pictures
"The whole visit lasted about 30 minutes or so."
She added: "I was especially impressed by Harry and how passionate and frustrated he was that we still experience homelessness on the streets of Britain."
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Meghan, who is making her fourth joint official visit with Harry, wore a green and navy tartan Burberry coat and trousers by Veronica Beard, and carried a bottle-green Strathberry East/West mini bag.
The couple went on a walkabout outside Edinburgh Castle, meeting enthusiastic crowds of people who had braved wet and cold conditions.
Ms Markle burst into laughter as a Shetland pony named Cruachan from the Royal Regiment of Scotland nipped at Prince Harry's hand.
They are carrying out a pre-wedding tour of Royal engagements across the country before they marry on May 19 at Windsor Castle.
