by The Duchess of Sussex may have been unhappy as a working member of the Royal family, but if her current Nigerian tour wardrobe tells us anything, it’s that she’s picked up a few tricks from her time inside the firm.
During her three-day visit to the west African nation with her husband, Prince Harry, Meghan wore a series of eye-catching looks.
Exhibit A is a blush silk maxi dress by California-based label Heidi Merrick, the second time she’s worn the label in a month. The dress is called the “Windsor” style, and was part of the 2018 collection, the same year she and Harry married. Coincidence? Not likely. It may not be a tribute to their host nation, as might be the case with the Queen or Princess of Wales on tour, but it promotes the royal connection.
Exhibit B is a cross pendant necklace, which sources say once belonged to Princess Diana. Meghan wore the necklace with a strapless white St Agni dress for lunch with the head of the Nigerian defense team, Christopher Musa, showing her connection to Harry’s late mother.
Then there is the Cartier tank French watch. The one worn on this trip is Meghan’s own, but it’s often mistaken for Diana’s Tank, which Harry inherited and which she sometimes wears – another nod to her royal status on the non-royal tour this.
This was designed with her Cartier Love bangle and diamond tennis bracelet by California fine jeweler Ariel Gordon. New to her jewelery collection is a pair of vintage Lanvin clip-on earrings, and a wooden bead necklace donated by the students of the Abuja school she was visiting.
Meghan’s next look was a white Altuzarra dress. Alongside Harry’s green head, they displayed the colors of the Nigerian flag; this time, very much in keeping with royal tour protocol. She last wore the jacket in 2018 while pregnant with son Archie, to kick off the Invictus Games in Sydney. This is also a traditional royal approach: the King, Princess Royal and Princess of Wales are known to take great care of their clothes, so they can be worn for years to come.
Outfit three, which she wore on Saturday, is her most successful look to date: a $2,850 (£2,275) embroidered jacquard palm dress by Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz, with a cut-out detail under the bust. She wore a similar dress by the same designer to the Women of Vision awards last year.
There is some evidence that Meghan is planning her wardrobe without guidance. Although there are still rumors that she is working with Adele’s Montecito-based stylist, Jamie Mizrahi, sources close to both parties have denied this. The Telegraph in March.
This might explain why the Heidi Merrick dress is way too long – the first thing a stylist would do is take it up. “Her choices are usually better,” says personal stylist Annabel Hodin. “She has lovely ankles and legs and a midi length would be nicer.”
He also failed to reach the cut-off mark. “The dress needed a heavier fabric, because a backless design needs structure to sit well at the front,” explains Hodin. “The break at the waist creates a square silhouette… It needed a slightly raised waistline.”
Altuzarra’s bright looks were also a source of misfire for Hodin. “It’s not a suit, because the blazer and trousers are different. If you’re making a top-to-top outfit, the pieces have to match,” she says. “The jacket is pulling at the waist button, and the flared trousers are too tight at the thigh. I would also lose the T-shirt and wear a silk blouse instead.”
Camp Sussex wants to make it clear that Meghan’s style is her own, and if that’s the case, she does a good job for the most part. Much better than many Hollywood stars if their stylists and personal shoppers separate. The Duchess clearly enjoys fashion and discovering new brands.
That said, even the best dressed people need a second pair of eyes; someone to assess looks from all sides, and to give honest feedback when something is not right – especially when one is in the public eye.
As Meghan prepares to launch her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, a guiding hand might be a worthy investment. It would clearly give her polish and professionalism from all other aspects of her work and life.
