The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry have been shown the ways of the force by actress Daisy Ridley, touring the studios where the latest instalment of the Star Wars film franchise is being made.

Ridley plays Rey in The Force Awakens, the latest episode of the popular sci-fi series to be released.

The actress accompanied William and Harry on a guided tour of Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, showing them the set of the new film, and as a consequence making them the envy of Star Wars fans everywhere.

The royal visit was aimed at highlighting the wealth of British creative talent that has gone into making the Star Wars films, Kensington Palace said.

Following the visit, Kensington Palace tweeted a photo of the pair engaged in a lightsaber battle.

Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the original films and reprises the role in the series' latest installment, was also excited by the visit.

He tweeted: "Meeting #Royals William & Harry! Finally - a chance to get an informed answer on whether being Leia's brother makes me a Prince."

The royal brothers would not have been born at when the first Star Wars film, which was written and directed by George Lucas, was released in 1977, but they are thought to be fans of the series.

The UK's contribution to the popular sci-fi franchise has been significant over the years - from actor Alec Guinness famously playing Obi-Wan Kenobi to the creative teams making props and weapons like the original lightsaber, designed by British set decorator Roger Christian.

Star Wars: Episode VIII, the cast of which will include Benicio del Toro and Laura Dern, is due to hit cinema screens in May 2017.

Rogue One - the first of three planned stand-alone spin-off films - is due for release in December.