Meghan’s pop star welcome! Beaming Duchess hugs Australian Invictus sports stars before she and Prince Harry take their seats as crowds leap to their feet and cheer for the royal couple in Dusseldorf

Meghan Markle received a rockstar welcome at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf today as she made her first appearance at a sporting event with Prince Harry.

The crowd jumped to their feet to cheer and applaud the Duchess of Sussex, who appeared surprised by the rapturous welcome and took her seat in the Merkur Spiel-Arena.

Dressed casually in a J Crew sweater, Staud shorts and Chanel flat pumps, the 42-year-old mother of two was beaming with joy and waved to the crowd and threw her hands in the air as she hugged the Australian team supporters sitting in her row.

Harry, who happily posed for dozens of selfies with fans, took a back seat this morning as most people in the crowd wanted to take a photo with Meghan.

Following her impromptu speech at an Invictus Games party in front of 1,600 people yesterday, where she apologized for her late arrival to the match yesterday, there was excitement around the Games today that she would be making her debut.

More than 2,000 schoolchildren were invited to the fourth day and spoke enthusiastically about Meghan. The couple – whose children are back home in Montecito, California – watched a wheelchair match between Australia and Ukraine.

The couple was swarmed by fans wanting to take pictures with them when the wheelchair basketball game ended.

Meghan bonded with Australian competitor Laura Reynell, 28, from New South Wales, who sat next to her as they chatted about her hat.

She said: ‘Meghan thought it was funny that I was wearing the hat and asked if I was cold. I told her I’m from Oz and I’m always cold.’

Ms Reynell added that Meghan spoke about her two young children who remained behind in California.

She said: ‘She was so nice and talking about her children. She said the children are excited about Invictus, but they are too young to understand it.”

Reynell has competed in powerlifting, archery and rowing. Harry was in animated conversation with Tavis Watt,49, a psychologist from the Australian team.

Organizers said Harry hoped to go to a neighboring court later today where Team UK were playing Canada.

Harry and Meghan have a busy schedule and will attend a swimming event and wheelchair rugby later in the day.

The Duke launched the sports competition for injured soldiers and veterans on Saturday evening.

He and Meghan were reunited in Germany last night after she flew in from Los Angeles, with a stopover at London Heathrow.

Meghan, 42, claimed that ‘milkshakes and school cancellations’ had delayed her arrival in Dusseldorf.

The Sussexes were last seen together on September 1 at a Beyoncé concert in California.

Meghan apologized for being late yesterday and explained that she spent time with their children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two, at the couple’s Montecito mansion before leaving.

She told the audience: ‘It’s so special to be here and I’m sorry I was a little late to the party… (I) had to spend a little more time sorting out our little ones at home – three milkshakes and a school dropout.

“I only landed a few hours ago and I’m thrilled that the first event I can do for Invictus is here with all of you. I hear it’s off to a good start so far.

“We can’t wait to one day bring our children along so they can experience how fantastic this is.”

Harry, who has been in Germany since Friday afternoon for the games he founded in 2014, encouraged guests to “connect with each other.”

The Duchess wore a black shirt dress from Banana Republic and an aide said she got ready to do her own hair and make-up within an hour of arriving at the £2,000-a-night presidential suite at the hotel where Harry is staying .