POETS from Port Glasgow High will not be lost for words when they meet Prince Harry and Meghan Markle today.

A seven-strong group of talented teenagers from the school will make their voices heard when they perform a poem for the royal couple during their first joint visit to Scotland.

They have been invited along to perform at a special reception for the royal couple at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to celebrate Scotland’s Year of Young People.

Pupil Kerr McLean, 15, says it is a dream come true.
He said: “It will be really exciting to meet Prince Harry and Meghan.

“It will also be nerve wracking.”

Morgan Burns, who is also 15, added: “You just don’t get opportunities like this to meet people like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

“It’s really exciting, I never expected it.

“I think they are a really good couple and work well together.”

Morgan and Kerr along with their S4 classmates Emma Young, Layla Milne, Ellis Higgins, Jodie Pollock and Abby Brown, are the reigning Scottish Youth Poetry Slam champions.

Pauline Barclay, acting depute head teacher at the school, is proud of them and delighted they will get a chance to meet the famous couple.

She said: “The children will be performing a group poem called ‘Young Life Crisis’ which was written by Layla.

“It’s about the challenges young people face today but it’s got a really positive message about not going with the crowd and being your own person and taking every opportunity that you can get.

“It’s amazing for them to have the chance to perform at such an exclusive event as there will only be about 50 guests.”

Head teacher Stuart Clark says the pupils will enjoy flying the flag for other young people across Inverclyde.

He said: “It’s fantastic that the young people are being recognised on such an important national stage.

“It will be a great experience for them to represent their school and community.”

During their visit today, Prince Harry and Meghan will stop at the Esplanade in front of Edinburgh Castle where they will be welcomed to the city by the Royal Marines Scotland Band and then watch the one o’clock gun being fired inside the castle. 

The couple will then move on to the New Town to visit Social Bite, a social enterprise cafe which distributes 100,000 items of food and hot drinks to homeless people across Scotland each year.

They will round off their visit by attending the reception at the palace to celebrate youth achievement.