Meghan Markle arrives at Mandela centenary event wearing trench coat as a dress

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have arrived on London's Southbank to officially open a major exhibition about the life of Nelson Mandela being staged in the centenary year of his birth.

Meghan made a return to the understated tonal palette she has favoured since becoming a royal with a head-to-toe blush pink look.

She did however prove, once again, that she’s capable of pushing the sartorial boundaries, choosing to wear a blush pink sleeveless trench coat from Canadian brand House of Nonie, as a dress.

Despite covering her from décolletage to shin, the belted trench coat – very much described as a coat, not a dress on the brand’s website – was a quietly sexy look.

Meghan paired the trench with an England Clifton nude crossbody bag from British brand Mulberry (which is now on sale) and coordinating pointed nude court shoes.

When it came to the bag, Meghan adhered to royal protocol banning the use of her once-beloved crossbody bags, choosing instead to tuck the chain handle inside the bag and carry it as a clutch.

She kept her beauty look natural and summery, with a slick of pale pink lipstick and her signature messy bun.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are touring the exhibition at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which traces Mr Mandela's career from activist to president through six themes: character, comrade, leader, prisoner, negotiator and statesman.

Harry and Meghan will tour the exhibition and at each themed panel will meet people associated with the exhibition and with Mandela's work.

The Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition will run at Southbank Centre until August 19.

Get Meghan's Look:

Sleeveless Trench, House of Nonie, approx £625. Shop it here.

Clifton Rosewater Small Classic Grain crossbody bag, Mulberry. Was £750, now £600. Shop it here.

Scroll the gallery above for more pictures