The Queen – accompanied by the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle – is to officially open Chester’s Storyhouse cultural centre this week.

This first official engagement involving just Her Majesty and new granddaughter-in-law is likely to attract crowds outside the venue as well as media attention from around the globe.

And it will generate the kind of publicity for Storyhouse that no money can buy.

The royal family's website reveals: "Her Majesty The Queen accompanied by The Duchess of Sussex, will officially open the Storyhouse Theatre, Hunter Street, Chester."

It adds: "Her Majesty The Queen and The Duchess of Sussex will attend a lunch at Chester Town Hall, 33 Northgate Street, Chester."

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle is coming to Chester

The pair will officially open the Mersey Gateway Bridge, at Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Mersey Road, Widnes, on the same day.

Signs have already gone up in Chester city centre showing road closures on Thursday, June 14, for what is described as ‘a civic event’.

The £37m cultural centre, which incorporates a theatre, library and single screen cinema, launched in May, 2017. But Her Majesty and Meghan will cut the ribbon to mark its official opening.

City centre roads are being closed for a civic event on Thursday, June 14.

Staff in Storyhouse were aware a VIP will be visiting that day but didn't know the identity of the mystery visitor until today.

Guests have been invited there that day where a short performance will take place concluding around 1pm.

A lunch will then be hosted for the royal guests at nearby Chester Town Hall involving local politicians and civic dignitaries including the Lord and Lady Mayoress.

The Queen will officially open Chester's Storyhouse

One clue to the high profile nature of the event is that all guests must report to Chester Racecourse for 9.30am that morning for security checks.

During its first year, an astonishing 1m customers passed through Storyhouse’s doors, meaning it is officially one of the UK’s largest cultural visitor attractions.

Storyhouse has sold more than 180,000 tickets to theatre shows and events and had more than 250 cinema screenings with 30,000 cinema tickets purchased.

Almost 150 community groups from across the borough use Storyhouse as their home.

In its first year the library loaned 258,000 books. Children’s book loans have increased by 50% since Chester library moved to Storyhouse.

Storyhouse has won several prestigious awards including the Building Award for Best Refurbishment, the Brick Award for Best Public Building, was highly commended at the RICS awards and was nominated for Best Building at the Stage awards.