Many Believe Meghan Markle’s Choice of Accessory Is a Nod of Support to Father-in-Law King Charles

(Image credit: Backgrid)

published 6 December 2023

Eagle-eyed followers of Meghan Markle’s fashion have spotted that, on her first public outing since the fallout from Omid Scobie’s bombshell book Endgame, she might be sending a subtle message of support to her father-in-law, King Charles.

Amidst the controversy surrounding the book, Meghan stepped out in Santa Barbara wearing a bracelet that was a gift to her from Charles. The diamond tennis bracelet was especially noticeable amidst her casual outfit, which included New Balance sneakers and a green baseball cap, cropped black leggings, and a black sweater.

Meghan Markle wearing a tennis bracelet from King Charles — Closeup of the bracelet from May 2018

The bracelet is from Bentley & Skinner and features 2.6 carats of diamonds, Page Six reports. (The Sun adds that it has 92 round brilliant-cut diamonds.) The last time Meghan wore the bracelet in public was at the 2022 Invictus Games in April of that year, when she wore it alongside a tweed blazer and Chanel flats. (It’s not a part of her usual repertoire of gold bracelets that she wears along with Princess Diana’s Cartier watch.)

People reports that Meghan debuted the bracelet as she arrived at the Cliveden House Hotel the night before she married Prince Harry in May 2018, which sparked speculation that it was a wedding present from then-Prince Charles to his new daughter-in-law; in a touching moment, Charles walked Meghan partway down the aisle when she married Harry at St. George’s Chapel.

She wore the bracelet again just days after her wedding, poignantly for her first engagement as an official member of the royal family, which she undertook alongside Charles and Queen Camilla (then Duchess of Cornwall). The bracelet was worn again during Harry and Meghan’s first royal tour in the fall of 2018, specifically when they visited Fiji.

The latest wear of the accessory has fans convinced that it is a sartorial sign of support for Charles, saying so much without actually saying anything. Neither Meghan nor Harry have issued any kind of statement in the aftermath of the release of Endgame just over a week ago.

Similarly, the royal family has also not spoken out about the book’s allegations. While at the Royal Variety Performance last Thursday, the Prince and Princess of Wales were lobbed questions by reporters gathered at Royal Albert Hall in London, including “Your Royal Highness, have you got a comment about Omid Scobie’s book?” and “Did you watch the Piers Morgan show last night, Your Royal Highnesses?” Neither William nor Kate responded.

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.