How Meghan Markle's Duchess Style Compares to Kate Middleton's
Today, the Duchess of Sussex made her first official royal appearance—her look was quite different from that of her sister-in-law's back in 2011.
Meghan Markle is officially part of the royal family. For her first post-wedding event, the Duchess of Sussex attended a garden party in honor of Prince Charles's 70th birthday with Prince Harry, Camilla, and the Prince of Wales himself. (Prince Charles' birthday isn't until November, but it's his "milestone birthday," so the royal family will have multiple celebrations leading up to the day.)
Meghan, likely knowing the entire world is watching her every move and analyzing her every outfit, wore a rose-colored dress from Goat, a matching Philip Treacy hat, and beige pumps. She accessorized with Vanessa Tugendhaft rose-shaped earrings and a Wilbur & Gussie pale pink clutch. The feminine look was very on-theme for the garden party and didn't distract anyone from the big event (even with a sheer neckline and sleeves).
Meghan's look was quite different than that of Kate Middleton when she made her first appearance as an official royal back in 2011. Seven years ago, Kate attended the Investec Derby Festival and wore a cream-colored Reiss dress that hit above her knees. A surprising move, considering royals almost always go for longer dress lengths.
Still, the Duchess of Cambridge kept it modest by covering up with a Joseph tweed jacket, while Meghan opted for sheer details on her own dress.
Kate also went with a petite fascinator; Meghan's headpiece features a rather wide brim.
After making headlines, earlier in the year, for not wearing tights, Meghan wore a noticeable, neutral-colored pair for her first royal outing. Kate, however, appears to have ditched that rule. (Though, she could very well have been wearing these barely-there John Lewis stockings.)
The two duchesses have their own signature styles, and we're so thrilled to have them both as inspiration.
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Marina Liao is the former fashion news editor at Marie Claire, where she covered celebrity style (from Meghan Markle to Katie Holmes), fashion trends, and shopping advice, plus conducted original interviews with industry insiders. She's now the Senior Commerce Editor at House Beautiful, where she owns coverage on deals and sales across home decor and accessories, in-depth product reviews on furniture and appliances, as well as news around new product launches since 2023. With help from leading designers and tastemakers, Marina spotlights quality products while tracking current design trends, a skill she’s mastered over six years in fashion media. Marina holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Stony Brook University, beginning her career in narrative-driven commerce coverage as an editorial assistant at PopSugar.
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