Duchess of Sussex embraces acting roots to bring Christmas cheer to retired actors at nursing home

The Duchess of Sussex has returned to her acting roots as she visited a home for retired entertainers, mingling with older stars including Richard O’Sullivan for a morning of showbiz.

The Duchess, who is due to give birth to her first child in the spring, admitted she was “feeling very pregnant” as she charmed residents by chatting about her pregnancy and her life.

She brought Christmas cheer to the residents of Brinsworth House in Twickenham, south west London, which is funded by the £600,000-a-year proceeds of the Royal Variety Performance and 15p from every telephone vote in Britain’s Got Talent.

The Duchess, 37, spoke fluent Spanish to one resident and told the actors how she had visited a similar home for artists in Los Angeles many times and remarked how much it felt like they were all part of one big family.

 Among the residents she met were Richard O’Sullivan, star of 1970s sitcoms Man About The House and Robin’s Nest, and Mona Hammond, who played Blossom Jackson  in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.

In the dining room of the Edwardian house, with decor evoking a mix between a seaside hotel and an old theatre, Meghan was introduced to the 83-year-old former EastEnders actress and was told that she won an OBE for championing black actors. “Oh my goodness. That’s amazing,” she said.

When she moved across to talk to retired West End theatre actress Josephine Gordon, the talk quickly moved to the baby.

“I’ve been reading about you in the papers,” Ms Gordon, 87, said.

The Duchess look down and patted her bump. “I’m feeling very pregnant,” she said.

When the former West End star asked how she was feeling, the Duchess replied: “Very good.”

Giles Cooper, Chairman of the Royal Variety Charity, said: "There’s a care home in LA that she used to visit and when she saw the video at the end of the Royal Variety Performance she said it reminded her of that.

"In LA it brought feelings of being amongst your own.

"She was very much at home with them and put a smile on their faces, but she was enjoying it as well.

"She mentioned the video – that was the key to it – it made her say ‘I want to go and see that’.

"It was the fact of being amongst entertainment people and actors.

 "She was so chatty with all of them. She made an effort to actually in every room to say hello to absolutely everyone.

"It really made everyone’s day. It really brought smiles to their faces.”

Mr Cooper said: "The timing of the visit is fantastic as it comes a few weeks after the Royal Variety performance which she attended with Prince Harry.

"And it comes after her wedding, which all the residents here were watching. We had the television on, Union Jack bunting up and a party atmosphere - so it's nice to have the bride here."

Among famous entertainers who have been cared for at the residential home are Sir Norman Wisdom, Dame Thora Hird and EastEnders actor Leslie Grantham.

The Duchess is a former actress who is best known for her role in the hit US legal drama series Suits, in which she played paralegal-turned-lawyer Rachel Zane.

Mr Cooper said her work as an actress would mean she would be able to relate to the residents.

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