Kate Middleton Downton Abbey visit: Duchess elegant at 8 months pregnant in Jojo Maman Bebe coat

It's no secret that the royals are big fans of Downton Abbey. So it wasn't surprising that Kate Middleton looked as pleased as punch during her visit to the set of ITV period drama.

Upon her arrival, the 33-year-old royal was presented with a posy by four-year-old Zac Barker. She could be seen bending down and chatting briefly with the child star who along with twin brother Oliver plays Lady Mary's son George.

During her visit, the Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed a tour of the famous Ealing Studios in west London and also posed for an official picture with cast members, including Dame Maggie Smith who plays the Dowager Countess; Phyllis Logan, who plays Mrs Hughes and Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern who portray the Earl and Countess of Grantham.

For the special outing, Prince William's wife, who is eight months pregnant with her second child, chose an elegant yet purse-friendly coast dress from maternity brand Jojo Maman Bebe, which retails for £69. She completed the chic look with black heels and a matching black clutch bag.

While Middleton resisted the urge to make her small screen debut, show bosses did allow her to see a scene being filmed in the servants' quarters for series six and a second take of the scene via a monitor in the 'Video Village' area.

Middleton is the latest royal to go behind the scenes of Downton Abbey. The Countess of Wessex toured the set on 4 March, accompanied by the Mexican First Lady, Angélica Rivera.

Carole and Michael Middleton, Kate's parents, and her sister Pippa also toured the set in 2011.

Co-produced by Carnival Films and Masterpiece and written by Lord Fellowes, the show, whose fans include President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, has won two Golden Globes, two SAG Awards and 10 Emmy Awards since its 2010 premiere.