Lancing woman complimented by Prince Harry

Amanda Hughes, 56, of North Lancing, went to the Royal Pavilion in Brighton yesterday (October 3), to catch a glimpse of the prince, and his wife Meghan Markle.

It was the royal couple’s first joint official visit to Sussex.

She told the Herald: “I spoke to Harry, he said he liked my sunglasses and said they give a cool vibe!

“He held my hand all the way through. I told him it was lovely to meet him and I said welcome to Sussex and I introduced him to my daughter.”

Amanda’s daughter Amelia said she was ‘starstruck’ when the prince came over to her.

“Harry spoke to my mum and then came up to me and asked for my name,” she said.

“I was a bit starstruck, I didn’t know what to say! I then shook his hand.”

Dianne Austin and Valerie Feniuk from Shoreham were also among the crowds in Brighton yesterday. They arrived early to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.

Dianne said: “It’s lovely they are visiting their county and I hope they will visit again.”

On Meghan she said: “I think she’s a breath of fresh air, she’s got good values.”

Valerie added: “I live in Sussex so we just wanted to see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex! It will be very exciting to see them.”

She also approved of Meghan: “She’s so good for Harry. I think she will follow in his mother’s footsteps.”

Jane Slater and Pat Richards, also from Shoreham, said the pair were ‘tall’ and added: “They looked lovely. Diana would be proud of Harry and she would have loved Meghan.”

Lee Kenney, from Lancing, and Nancy Jackson, from Jamaica, who are ‘as close as sisters’, arrived early at the Royal Pavilion Gardens to make sure they had a good spot. They said the royal couple were ‘good role models’.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also visited Survivors’ Network, a Brighton charity that supports survivors of sexual violence.

Developers ‘delighted’ as plans for IKEA and 600 homes in Lancing approved