'Don't marry Harry, marry me' admirer tells Meghan on Edinburgh walkabout

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met one of the armed forces' smallest recruits when they visited Scotland for the first time - a Shetland pony.

Corporal Cruachan IV, the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, is famed for trying to upstage the Queen when she visited Stirling Castle last summer by nibbling on her posy.

But he was on his best behaviour when he met the prince and his bride-to-be as they made their first joint visit to Scotland, starting with a trip to Edinburgh Castle.

Hundreds of well-wishers had braved cold and wet conditions to meet the couple, who were carrying out their fourth joint engagement together.

Ms Markle paid tribute to her Scottish hosts by wearing a tartan coat by Burberry, a long, navy blue and dark green wool and cashmere-blend said to cost £1,995.

On the eve of Valentine's Day, one amorous male well-wisher gave Ms Markle a bunch of roses and told her "Don't marry Harry, marry me" as she and Harry greeted crowds on the castle's esplanade.

Ryan Davey, 32, had his six-year-old daughter Hannah perched on his shoulders so she could get a better look at the couple as they passed by.

He said: "We've come up from Durham to see them, this is the nearest place for us but it's been worth it."

Pony Major Mark Wilkinson introduced Ms Markle and Harry to Cruachan IV who has his own Twitter account and seemed intent on nibbling Harry's fingers in the hope of a treat.

He said: "They were asking about him, saying he's a wee star, he knows he's on parade and is showing off - they said it was lovely to meet him."