Date: 2025-08-21 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00018428 | |||||||||
The British Royals | |||||||||
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Burgess COMMENTARY Peter Burgess | |||||||||
| ROYAL STYLE The Best of Meghan Markle’s Royal Style In honor of Meghan’s royal exit, a look back at the moments when she truly embraced her princess status. Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Meghan Markle Hat Long Sleeve and Sleeve PHOTOS FROM GETTY IMAGES. When Meghan Markle announced her engagement to Prince Harry and started the long process that culminated in their lavish 2018 wedding, she already had a very distinctive style. It could best be summarized as “California girl braves the Canadian winters.” She has done just that, of course, having lived in Toronto for seven years as one of the stars of the legal drama Suits. Before, she wore upscale athleisure, perfectly destroyed denim, luxurious parkas, and fashion-forward sunglasses. Then she sat down on a couch and gave a joyful interview with “H,” as she calls him, and her style changed overnight. She was a royal and she started to dress like it. Despite what you may read in tabloids, there are no real rules or strict protocol governing what a royal can wear. But there is a sense that demure, formal looks are required, and generally royals imitate the habits and styles of Queen Elizabeth. Some of Meghan’s most regal looks over the last few years take a page out of the queen’s handbook by mixing a classic shape, a solid color, and a few intentional yet quirky accessories. Others have taken the queen’s favorite outfit, the skirt suit, and updated it, by cinching the waist and adding a fuller skirt or by opting for an open blazer. For a few events, Meghan adopted the floor-sweeping caftan, which the queen has favored in situations where a ball gown would feel too formal. As an American, Meghan likely didn’t have too much experience with wearing big hats before she began attending Royal Ascot, events like Commonwealth and Remembrance Days, and family weddings, but she embraced it with her all, going for a few classic Phillip Treacy fascinators as well as some more relaxed options. In March 2019, she channeled Jackie O in a pillbox hat. But even in the royal family, she held onto some of her hallmarks from before becoming a royal. The queen is not a fan of dark colors or neutrals—“I can’t wear beige, because then nobody would know who I am,” she once said—but Meghan has enthusiastically worn black and navy dresses (with complementary nail polish). When Vanity Fair visited her Toronto home in the summer of 2017, she pointed out her dress from Canadian brand Erdem, a label she has continued to embrace throughout her years as a duchess. Some of her most classic regal looks are outfits the queen would never wear, but they have often made homages to the monarch in small ways. On January 10, Meghan and Harry announced that they wanted to leave their roles as senior royals in order to move to North America, pursue a global charity, and attain financial independence. Though it came as a surprise to many palace insiders, Meghan’s wardrobe had already been signaling her desires for something new for months. When she returned from maternity leave in September 2019, she prioritized the basics and wore more clothes from mass market brands like Zara and Everlane. Though she still knows how to wear a great dress, her new royal looks will probably match her less royal role, meaning that they’ll come on her own terms. In honor of the way Meghan displayed her flair in an older system, here are some of her best looks that draw their influence from the ways of the senior royals. Image may contain Prince Harry Clothing Apparel Shoe Footwear Overcoat Suit Coat Human Person Tie and Accessories BY SAMIR HUSSEIN/GETTY IMAGES. November 27, 2017 Image may contain Clothing Apparel Footwear Shoe Human Person Coat Overcoat Hat and Suit BY CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES. December 25, 2017 Image may contain Clothing Apparel Footwear Shoe Coat Overcoat Human Person Tie Accessories Accessory and Hat FROM GC IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES. April 25, 2018 WATCH How Meghan Markle is Preparing for the Royal Wedding More Vanity Fair Videos MOST POPULAR Harry and Meghan’s Viral Umbrella Photo Speaks For Itself BY KATEY RICH Keeping Busy in London, Prince Harry Opens an Auto Racing Museum and Meghan Markle Visits a School BY ERIN VANDERHOOF The Best of Meghan Markle’s Royal Style BY ERIN VANDERHOOF AND LAUREN MARGIT JONES Image may contain Human Person Clothing Apparel Hat Skirt Fashion and Sleeve BY CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES. May 22, 2018 Image may contain Elizabeth II Plant Hat Clothing Apparel Flower Human Flower Arrangement and Flower Bouquet BY KARWAI TANG/GETTY IMAGES. June 14, 2018 Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Hat Suit Coat Overcoat Fashion Robe Gown Tie and Accessories BY MAX MUMBY/INDIGO/GETTY IMAGES. June 19, 2018 Image may contain Clothing Apparel Footwear Shoe Human Person Hat Coat Overcoat Suit Meghan Markle and Fashion FROM GETTY IMAGES. July 9, 2018 MOST POPULAR Harry and Meghan’s Viral Umbrella Photo Speaks For Itself BY KATEY RICH Keeping Busy in London, Prince Harry Opens an Auto Racing Museum and Meghan Markle Visits a School BY ERIN VANDERHOOF The Best of Meghan Markle’s Royal Style BY ERIN VANDERHOOF AND LAUREN MARGIT JONES Image may contain Coat Clothing Apparel Human Person Footwear Shoe Meghan Markle Military Uniform and Military BY JEFF SPICER/GETTY IMAGES. July 10, 2018 Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Footwear Shoe Robe and Fashion BY SAMIR HUSSEIN/GETTY IMAGES. August 4, 2018 Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Footwear Shoe Vehicle Transportation Automobile Car and Coat FROM GETTY IMAGES. August 12, 2018 Image may contain Human Person Coat Clothing Apparel Hat Sleeve Footwear Shoe Long Sleeve and Fashion BY SAMIR HUSSEIN/GETTY IMAGES. October 20, 2018 MOST POPULAR Harry and Meghan’s Viral Umbrella Photo Speaks For Itself BY KATEY RICH Keeping Busy in London, Prince Harry Opens an Auto Racing Museum and Meghan Markle Visits a School BY ERIN VANDERHOOF The Best of Meghan Markle’s Royal Style BY ERIN VANDERHOOF AND LAUREN MARGIT JONES Image may contain Prince Harry Fashion Premiere Human Person Meghan Markle Suit Coat Clothing Overcoat and Apparel FROM GETTY IMAGES. October 23, 2018 Image may contain Prince Harry Footwear Clothing Shoe Apparel Human Person Robe Fashion Evening Dress and Gown BY SAMIR HUSSEIN/GETTY IMAGES. October 26, 2018 Image may contain Clothing Apparel Coat Overcoat Prince Harry Human Person Footwear Shoe Tie and Accessories BY SAMIR HUSSEIN/GETTY IMAGES. December 25, 2018 Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Female Skirt Vehicle Car Transportation Automobile and Sleeve BY KARWAI TANG/GETTY IMAGES. January 30, 2019 MOST POPULAR Harry and Meghan’s Viral Umbrella Photo Speaks For Itself BY KATEY RICH Keeping Busy in London, Prince Harry Opens an Auto Racing Museum and Meghan Markle Visits a School BY ERIN VANDERHOOF The Best of Meghan Markle’s Royal Style BY ERIN VANDERHOOF AND LAUREN MARGIT JONES Image may contain Footwear Clothing Shoe Apparel Human Person Sleeve Coat Long Sleeve Meghan Markle and Suit BY KARWAI TANG/GETTY IMAGES. January 31, 2019 Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Fashion Premiere Human Person Suit Coat Clothing Overcoat and Apparel BY SAMIR HUSSEIN/GETTY IMAGES. February 23, 2019 Image may contain Human Person Clothing Apparel Evening Dress Gown Robe Fashion Furniture and Wood FROM GETTY IMAGES. February 24, 2019 Image may contain Prince Harry Clothing Apparel Footwear Shoe Evening Dress Fashion Gown Robe Tie and Accessories BY SAMIR HUSSEIN/GETTY IMAGES. February 25, 2019 MOST POPULAR Harry and Meghan’s Viral Umbrella Photo Speaks For Itself BY KATEY RICH Keeping Busy in London, Prince Harry Opens an Auto Racing Museum and Meghan Markle Visits a School BY ERIN VANDERHOOF The Best of Meghan Markle’s Royal Style BY ERIN VANDERHOOF AND LAUREN MARGIT JONES Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Human Person Fashion Footwear Clothing Apparel Shoe Coat and Premiere FROM GETTY IMAGES. March 5, 2019 Image may contain Prince Harry Clothing Apparel Shoe Footwear Human Person Suit Coat Overcoat Blazer and Jacket BY MAX MUMBY/INDIGO/GETTY IMAGES. March 11, 2019 Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Fashion Premiere Human Person Suit Coat Clothing Overcoat and Apparel BY CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES. November 9, 2019 Royal Watch Get the latest chatter, from Kensington Palace and beyond, straight to your inbox. ENTER YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS Your e-mail address SIGN UP Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy. | |||||||||