A British-Nigerian schoolboy stole the show on Friday when the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, visited Robert Clack Upper School in Essex, Dagenham, East London.
Aker Okoye, 16, bounded on to the stage and went straight in for a kiss on the cheek.
He got rapturous applause from fellow students as Meghan laughed and wagged her finger in mock admonishment.
Okoye waited for the cheers to cool off – and with excellent comic timing – he then leaned in to the microphone to say: “She really is beautiful, innit.”
Meghan’s visit was in support of International Women’s Day. It was her final solo engagement as a working member of the Royal Family.
Head boy Okoye came upstage after Meghan called for a ‘brave young man’ to join her to explain the importance of the International Women’s Day.
“I had to speak the truth there,” he told the room. “International Women’s Day is a reminder to everyone that women can do it all and do do it all.
“This is more of a message to all you guys. Maybe this Sunday could be the one day we don’t look at women as objects.”
“Well done. Very well said,” replied Meghan as Aker hugged her and left the stage.
“And incredible confidence, won’t you all agree?” she asked the other students.
The Duchess had chosen to mark the International Women’s Day with a visit to Dagenham, where a group of women machinists at the nearby Ford car factory sparked a famous revolution – not to mention a feature film – with their demands for equal pay.
Pupils arriving at school on Friday had been told to expect a VIP, and between them they speculated that perhaps Boris Johnson, Beyoncé or even Jackie Chan might be paying them a visit.
Undeterred by the raging coronavirus, Meghan opted to shake hands with teachers.
