Meghan Markle's First Official Royal Event with Queen Elizabeth Compared to Kate Middleton's

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published 14 June 2018

Meghan Markle—a.k.a the Duchess of Sussex (opens in new tab)—has officially attended her first solo event with the Queen. And although joining the matriarch for a public appearance is a part of royal protocol (opens in new tab), Meghan's day comes less than a month after she tied the knot (opens in new tab) with Prince Harry.

For reference, Kate Middleton (opens in new tab) didn't make her first official outing with the Queen (opens in new tab) until almost a year after her wedding in 2011—the Duchess of Cambridge tagged along for a day of appearances during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tour (a celebration of her 60-year-reign) on March 8, 2012. So, how exactly did Kate and Meghan's solo debuts compare?

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Unlike Meghan, who opted for a nude hue Givenchy dress with a layered cape, Kate (opens in new tab) sat alongside the Queen in a blue, peplum suit by L.K. Bennet and a black fascinator by James Lock. Suffice it to say, both looks were a lot more low-key than the Queen's vibrant-as-heck dress suits.

The Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge watched a dance performance in Leicester's De Montfort Square, later followed by a fashion show at De Montfort University. The day was topped off with a visit to Leicester Cathedral, where the two held bouquets of flowers and smiled at each other.

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Meanwhile, Meghan and the Queen opened the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and Catalyst Science Discovery Centre (opens in new tab) museum in Cheshire and will later travel to Chester, England about a half hour away to open the Storyhouse Theater. It's safe to say it's a lot more low-key than the Queen and Kate's day together.