Meghan Markle’s surprise appearance at Texas shooting memorial

Meghan Markle has surprised onlookers as she emerged in casual wear at a memorial for the school shooting victims in Uvalde.

Meghan Markle has made a surprise appearance at a Texas school shooting memorial, where she was seen laying flowers.

The Duchess of Sussex was photographed placing a bouquet of white roses outside the Uvalde County Courthouse, not far from Robb Elementary School where 19 young children and two teachers were killed by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos in Tuesday’s mass shooting.

The Duchess was dressed casually in blue jeans, white sneakers, a grey T-shirt, and a cap.

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Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse. Picture: Chandan Khanna/AFP

Meghan was also seen wearing Princess Diana’s $23,000 Cartier Tank Watch.

A spokesperson for the Duchess toldPeoplethat Meghan took the trip in a “personal capacity as a mother, to offer condolences and support in person to a community experiencing unimaginable grief”.

The Duchess rushed to Texas to pay her respects. Picture: Chandan Khanna/AFP

The flight time from Meghan’s home in Montecito, California to Uvalde, Texas is about three hours.

With her bodyguard nearby, Meghan paid her respects alongside crosses left in memory of the Uvalde shooting victims.

The roses, which were beautifully wrapped with purple ribbon, were placed down by a cross for Uziyah Garcia, 10, reading: “You will be missed,” The Los Angeles Timesreports.

Meghan attended the memorial solo. Picture: Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Meghan’s surprise appearance comes in the wake of her dad being left unable to speak after suffering a “major stroke”.

Thomas Markle Sr, 77, was struck by a health emergency in Mexico and had to be taken across the border to San Diego in an ambulance while using an oxygen mask.

He was said to have lost his speech following the incident on Monday night which came after having already suffered a health scare last week, sources told The Sun.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Archie and Lilibet will soon travel to the UK for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. Picture: Alexi Lubomirski/Handout/The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

His condition was so serious he could only communicate by writing messages on a piece of paper.

Meanwhile Meghan, 40, Harry, 37, and their two children, three-year-old Archie and 11-month-old Lilibet Diana, are preparing to fly to the UK for the first time as a family to attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The trip will be the first time the royal family will have met Lilibet.

This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission