Meghan surprises patients during children’s hospital visit

The Duchess of Sussex has surprised young patients during a visit to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Meghan, 44, joined children at the hospital for painting and craft activities and met with patients in their rooms.

Photos shared on the hospital’s Instagram page captured the duchess chatting with families and taking part in the art sessions.

“Today we were honored to welcome LA’s own @meghan, Duchess of Sussex, to CHLA’s Creative Oasis, where she spent time painting alongside our incredible patients,” the hospital captioned the photos.

Her visit formed part of the organisation’s Make March Matter annual fundraiser, the hospital said in a social media post.

It comes amid news that a documentary executive produced by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was bought by an independent production company.

The US rights to Cookie Queens – a coming-of-age story about the annual American tradition of Girl Scouts selling cookies – have been acquired by Roadside Attractions, Variety magazine said.

Harry and Meghan signed a watered down, first look deal with Netflix last year, which gave the streaming giant first option on projects by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions.

Her lifestyle company As Ever, which sells jams, herbal teas and chocolates, was meanwhile revealed to have ended its partnership with Netflix this month, with a spokesperson saying the brand was “now ready to stand on its own”.

Meghan previously said of the project: “As a former Girl Scout myself, with my mom as my troop leader, I have a personal affinity for this film.”

She described it as “one of the most powerful and meaningful depictions of something that is an American tradition and rooted in nostalgia”.

Archewell Productions partnered with Beautiful Stories and AJNA Films on the documentary and Harry and Meghan were its executive producers.

It was directed by Alysa Nahmias, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and is set to appear at the SXSW (South by South West) music and film festival and then open in cinemas over the summer.