The Duchess of Sussex has met pop royalty Beyonce at the European premiere of The Lion King, with the pair sharing a hug and bonding over parenthood.

Meghan Markle joined her husband, Prince Harry, for the first screening of Disney’s photorealistic computer-animated remake of the 1994 classic on Sunday.

The re-booted Lion King has a star-studded cast, including Donald Glover as king-in-waiting Simba and Beyonce voicing his love interest Nala.

The royal couple were also joined at the premiere by a dazzling array of stars, including Beyonce’s husband Jay-Z, Sir Elton John and Pharrell Williams.

Former actress Meghan, who is on maternity leave following the birth of son Archie, waved at waiting crowds as she arrived with Prince Harry in London’s Leicester Square.

The duchess wore a black dress and heels with her hair swept up. She and Harry walked the carpet to Can You Feel the Love Tonight.

Beyonce was rather more daring, draped in a rich tobacco-yellow frock with a thigh-high split.

Beyonce greets Sir Elton John at the premiere. Photo: Getty

After a hug on greeting each other, the two mothers – who are not thought to have met before – also spoke about Meghan and Harry’s nine-week-old son.

“The baby, so beautiful. We love you guys,” Beyonce told Meghan.

Harry then asked Beyonce and Jay-Z about their youngest children, twins Rumi and Sir, who were born in 2017.

“They are not here. They don’t come on every trip,” Beyonce said. “We left them at home. They would love to have been here.”

Meghan and Harry walk the yellow carpet. Photo: Getty

Jay-Z went on to offer the Duke some parenting advice: “The best advice I can give you, always find some time for yourself,” he said.

Sunday’s premiere was held in “support of the conservation and communities work of His Royal Highness through The Royal Foundation”, Buckingham Palace said.

Harry and Meghan met some of the cast and crew before watching the film. Afterwards, they spoke to representatives of organisations doing groundbreaking work in the areas of conservation and the environment.

Disney has announced its global conservation campaign Protect the Pride to mark the movie’s release.

-with AAP