The Queen and Duchess of Sussex are in Cheshire for their first royal engagement together.
Her Majesty and newly-married Meghan officially opened the Mersey Gateway Bridge and Chester's Storyhouse Theatre.
They then attended a lunch at Chester Town Hall as guests of the city council.
It is the first time the duchess has attended an event with the Queen without her husband Prince Harry.
Thousands of people were already waiting at the venues hours before the royal pair arrived, with stalls set up on the streets selling flags and souvenirs.
The Queen, wearing green in honour of Grenfell Tower fire victims on the first anniversary of the tragedy, and duchess were greeted by hundreds of cheering schoolchildren as they stepped off the royal train at Runcorn station.
Harry and Meghan join Queen at parade
Who wore what to the royal wedding
Meghan's dress in detail
Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire David Briggs MBE welcomed Meghan as she left the train, saying: "Welcome to Cheshire. I understand this is your first visit to northern England."
The 36-year-old duchess, wearing a cream outfit by Givenchy, replied: "That's right yes."
Abigail Grimes, a pupil at Runcorn's Beechwood Primary School, was chosen to present the duchess with a posy of flowers as it was the youngster's fifth birthday.
The Queen, wearing a Stewart Parvin outfit and matching hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan, was given flowers by Jack Jackson, 10, from St Michael's Catholic Primary School in Widnes.
Media captionThe Queen and Duchess of Sussex arrive in Cheshire
Thousands of people were already waiting at the venues hours before the royal pair arrived, with stalls set up on the streets selling flags and souvenirs.
The Queen, wearing green in honour of Grenfell Tower fire victims on the first anniversary of the tragedy, and duchess were greeted by hundreds of cheering schoolchildren as they stepped off the royal train at Runcorn station.
Harry and Meghan join Queen at parade
Who wore what to the royal wedding
Meghan's dress in detail
The Queen and Duchess of Sussex during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway BridgeImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
The Duchess of Sussex was wearing Givenchy and the Queen lime green Stewart Parvin
Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire David Briggs MBE welcomed Meghan as she left the train, saying: "Welcome to Cheshire. I understand this is your first visit to northern England."
The 36-year-old duchess, wearing a cream outfit by Givenchy, replied: "That's right yes."
Queen Elizabeth II officially pulls the curtain to open the new Mersey Gateway BridgeImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
The Queen officially opening the Mersey Gateway Bridge
The Queen and the Duchess of SussexImage copyrightPA
Image caption
It is the first time the Queen and the duchess have taken part in a royal event together without the duke
Abigail Grimes, a pupil at Runcorn's Beechwood Primary School, was chosen to present the duchess with a posy of flowers as it was the youngster's fifth birthday.
The Queen, wearing a Stewart Parvin outfit and matching hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan, was given flowers by Jack Jackson, 10, from St Michael's Catholic Primary School in Widnes.
The Duchess of SussexImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
The Duchess of Sussex accepts flowers from a schoolgirl in Runcorn
Grange Hill and Brookside creator Phil Redmond and wife Alexis, the High Sheriff of Cheshire, were among those gathered to greet the royals.
Mr Redmond joked he should have asked the US-born former actress Meghan if she wanted a part in his soap Hollyoaks.
"I didn't ask her, but there's still lunch yet. She'll have to go through the audition process like everybody else."