Prince Harry is visiting a secondary school as part of a rugby initiative – as his wife Meghan officially ends her maternity leave.

The Duke will visit the Rugby Football Union (RFU) All Schools programme at Lealands High School in Luton.

The programme was launched to increase the number of secondary state schools playing rugby union, with the aim of introducing 750 additional schools to the game.

It is focused on introducing young people to rugby union and then helping them to move to local rugby clubs.

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle is to carry out her first official public engagement since the birth of her son – launching a high street clothing range in aid of charity.

Meghan’s maternity leave will come to an end when she proudly shows off the collection created by Jigsaw, John Lewis and Partners, Marks and Spencer and her designer friend Misha Nonoo.

The Duke embraces on of the pupils taking part in rugby activities 
The Duke of Sussex giving a high five to 11 year old Dinnae Bartlett
Since the birth of her son Archie on May 6, she has been caring for her child – although she has been seen privately attending a polo match where husband Harry was playing and watching the women’s tennis finals at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows, New York.

Harry’s visit to Lealands High School, the 750th school to sign up to RFU All Schools, will celebrate the programme reaching this milestone.

The Duke watched about 60 students from five local schools take part in touch rugby games and skills sessions before speaking to some of them and their teachers.

At the end of the session 11-year-old Zara-Jess Gudza hugged the duke.

The Lealands High School student said: “It was just the inspiration, he is so big in this world and he came to this school.
“It felt crazy to meet someone who is part of the royal family and felt kind of inspirational.”

Harry chatting to a group of students and teachers
Harry looked very happy to be attending the school event 
Freddie Theron, 11, from Stopsley High School, took part in the activities and handed the duke an invitation to a barbecue at his house when they met.

He said: “It was incredible.

“I just can’t believe he actually came to watch rugby, I am so glad to be picked to meet him.
“I gave him an invitation to a barbecue at my house. He didn’t read it but said he would read it later.”

Harry trained as an assistant development officer with the RFU as part of his gap year in 2004, and once qualified he went out to schools and clubs around the country assisting community rugby coaches to teach the game to young people.

The duke, who has travelled the world supporting the national side, was in Sydney in 2003 to watch England triumph over Australia in the Rugby World Cup final.

RFU All Schools was launched to increase the number of secondary state schools playing rugby union 
The royal was pictured in Canary Wharf, London, appearing to answer telephones and talk to professionals

He became the new patron of the RFU, succeeding his grandmother the Queen, in 2017.

Yesterday, Harry closed a £1 billion deal on a financial trading floor as he helped raise thousands of pounds for charity.

Armed with three phones as traders barked orders at him, the Duke of Sussex kept his cool and managed to seal the transaction, which is estimated to have raised £50,000, including funds for his Invictus Games.

Harry was one of a host of celebrities including comic Jimmy Carr, Game Of Thrones star Kit Harrington, London Mayor Sadiq Khan , former England football manager Sam Allardyce and England World Cup-winning cricket captain Eoin Morgan taking part in the BGC charity day.

The annual event is staged by BGC Partners brokerage at its offices in London’s Docklands to commemorate 658 Cantor Fitzgerald staff and 61 EuroBrokers employees who died in the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11 2001.