Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's documentary wins prestigious award at film and TV festival

Meghan reposted a message from director Alysa Nahmias, who said: "Wow – such an honour that Cookie Queens just won the SXSW Festival Favourite Audience Award.

"Huge thanks from our whole film team to the fabulous audiences, programmers, and volunteers!"

The message continued: "We had a blast at SXSW and can't wait to bring the film to more festivals and theatres!"

Independent American-based film distribution firm, Roadside Attractions, recently acquired the rights to the project.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped out for the film's premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

The documentary, which received mixed reviews, will be available to watch exclusively in theatres over the summer.

The pair served as executive producers on the documentary, which follows four Girl Scouts as they navigate the cookie-selling season.

The 91-minute film offers an intimate look at ambition, teamwork and growing up.

The project holds a special place for Meghan, who was a Girl Scout growing up in California.

Meghan revealed she relied on "charm and a smile" when selling Girl Scout cookies during her childhood in America.

Speaking to Deadline at a screening, she reflected on her cookie-selling days: "I don't remember [my record], but it certainly wasn't 12,000. But I think I did really well."

The duchess noted modern sellers benefit from tools unavailable in her youth: "We didn't have the same perks and leverage of using social media and Venmo, and QR codes that the girls use these days.

"It was really about a charm and a smile, and who doesn't love a Girl Scout cookie? It's a pretty easy sell."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended a screening at the Eccles Theatre in January, where they were photographed holding hands and smiling before the event.

Meghan spoke warmly about the values instilled by the American youth organisation, describing how it "really embeds such great values from the get-go".

Her connection to the Girl Scouts runs deep, with her mother having served as a troop leader during her childhood.

Meghan said: "I was a Girl Scout, my mom was a troop leader, and I think the value of friendship, of being dedicated to a goal, as you can see that in Cookie Queens, it's so reflective of how these girls stick with something that's important to them and don't give up."

The Duchess of Sussex emphasised "self-belief is an integral value that comes with being a Girl Scout".

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