Meghan Markle is celebrate annual SWSX festival takes place in Austin, Texas, tomorrow until March 16

Meghan Markle has been described as a ‘visionary female leader’ ahead of her appearance on a star-studded panel at the opening day of the SXSW festival in Texas alongside actress Brooke Shields and author Katie Couric.

The Duchess of Sussex, 42, is set to appear at the annual event tomorrow and is expected to discuss ‘breaking barriers’ and ‘challenging stereotypes’ as she addresses social media use.

South by Southwest, also referred to as SXSW, is an annual festival that celebrates the convergence of technology, film, music, education and culture, being held from March 8-16.

Meghan is the headliner of the keynote event on Friday, which is also International Women’s Day.

According to organisers, the session is presented by Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation and The 19th, a US nonprofit newsroom that reports on gender, politics and policy.

Announcing its panel of ‘visionary’ women, the festival confirmed the session would focus on the dangers and mental health issues associated with social media users amongst teenage girls.

The session, titled Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen, will be moderated by Errin Haines, host of The Amendment podcast, and also attended by pop culture expert Nancy Wang Yuen.

Alongside the fellow participants, Meghan will also talk about the importance of representation in media and entertainment.

In a statement, the organisers said: ‘Women’s representation in media and entertainment has come a long way, but there’s still much to be done, especially for women of color and mothers.

‘Social media’s omnipresence has raised the stakes, creating an often dangerous environment which has led to serious mental health issues for teenage girls in particular.

‘On International Women’s Day, we’ll hear from visionary female leaders at the forefront of news, media, entertainment and philanthropy who are breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and working toward a healthier society on and off our screens.’

The appearance is the latest of a series of public engagements by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the latest of which saw Meghan appear in London via video for the opening of a new wing of the animal charity Mayhew.

The announcement was in honour of her late friend Oli Juste, with the Duchess saying the dog trainer’s sudden death had left her heartbroken.

A photo shared on Harry and Meghan’s new website, Sussex.com – the subject of controversy because of the prominence of its royal branding – showed a beaming Duchess in a beige coat crouching down and petting a dog.