She’s now a leading lady in a hit TV show and it turns out that Meghan Markle, 35, had star quality from an early age.

Never-before-seen photos show the budding young actress performing in several school plays at private Catholic girls school Immaculate Heart High in Los Angeles.

Prince Harry’s girlfriend  starred in Stage Door, a musical set in the 1920s about a group of budding young actresses who have come to New York to find fame and fortune.

And the production was a family affair with her father Thomas Markle lending his skills as a lighting director.

Budding star Meghan also had a part in the tap dancing musical Stepping Out in 1998, which follows a group of women attempting to tap their troubles away at their weekly class.

Prince Harry’s girlfriend Meghan Markle (right) in her school production of Stage Door back in the 1990s

Meghan (third from left) in a production of the tap dancing musical Stepping Out in 1998

Amanda Holden is currently starring in a new production of the feelgood comedy in London’s West End.

Meghan also shone as the devil’s assistant Lola in Damn Yankees, a baseball-themed comedy based on a Faust legend, in which she performed the song Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets.

The youngster was clearly one of the most popular girls in her high school class, as she was also crowned homecoming queen in 1998.

Photos show the 17-year-old walking a red carpet lined with boys holding swords at the lavish event at the private St Francis High School, in Los Angeles.

Meghan had a part in Stage Door, a musical about women who try to tap away their woes at their weekly dance class

Meghan’s father Thomas Markle lent a hand with the school play, by taking on the role of lighting director

Budding star: The actress played Lola, one of the lead characters, in the baseball musical Damn Yankees

She’s also seen posing next to her date in her strapless blue prom gown and sparkling tiara in two other snaps from the evening.

Meghan went to the private Catholic girls’ school Immaculate Heart High in Los Angeles and her school teamed up with boys school St Francis for proms.

In two photos from her year books Meghan is listed as Rachel Markle as the actress was still using her first name at the time (Meghan is her middle name).

Meghan’s lighting director Tom also played a part in the school productions

Meghan in rehearsal for Damn Yankees, based on a Faust legend, in which she played the role of Lola

Meghan is also seen at another school prom in April 1999, posing in a white dress with flowers in her hand.

The star is now of course one of the lead characters in Suits, playing Rachel since 2011 in the hit legal series.

And while appearing at a script reading at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas, last month, Meghan described her co-stars as being like ‘family.’

‘We were in a group email the other day and I was saying we’d all lived in the same corporate housing so on top of working together we were living together which makes a whole different dynamic, I think.

‘We just became this whole family right out the gate,’ she said.

The young actress beams (centre) as she poses for photos in a blue satin dress and sparkling tiara