Budding actors don elaborate costumes to meet Harry and Meghan

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were greeted by orc soldiers and chatted to a monkey as they took in Wellington’s creative talent.

Meghan, a former actress, returned to her acting roots as she and her husband visited Courtenay Creative, which runs programmes for young people looking to get into film.

The couple were greeted by two Lord of the Rings Urak-hai orc soldiers as they entered a room filled with musicians, actors, prosthetic experts and models.

Luke Hawker, dressed as an orc, was also among the greeting party, hobbling along the ground to meet the duke and duchess.

The 37-year-old said: “I didn’t know if I was supposed to shake their hand but they were standing there. They seemed quite scared.”

The couple then went on to meet Ruby Acevedo, 12, whose face was covered by prosthetics to make her appear like a monkey.

Harry lent in to touch her face and asked Ruby: “You can go outside like that?”

Afterwards, she said: “It was an amazing experience. They were really nice and it was just a really nice experience to get to meet them and talk to them.

“They were everything I expected, just really kind.”

Meghan, wearing a white Maggie Marilyn dress and Gillian Anderson coat, and Harry went on to listen to Louis Baker perform Just a Memory.

He said: “It was such a an honour to have an opportunity like this and be able to play for a royal in your lifetime is special.

“We talked about my music and wanting to put an album out next year. Meghan said I had a great tone.

“I didn’t want to talk at them. They’ve probably been talking to people all day, day in day out for the latest few days, so I didn’t talk a lot.”

The orc, or Mr Hawker, gave Meghan a gold necklace with paua shell and diamonds made by Village Goldsmith and the couple then posed for pictures with an array of models and monsters.

“Happy Halloween”, Harry quipped before the couple headed back into the Wellington evening.