Meghan Markle's 2018 Royal Ascot Dress and Kate Middleton's in 2016 Were So Different

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On Tuesday, Meghan Markle attended her first-ever Royal Ascot event with Prince Harry, the Queen, and the rest of the royal family. The Duchess of Sussex wore a cream-colored Givenchy dress with a black-and-white Philip Treacy hat. Noticeably absent was Prince William and Kate Middleton, who likely is at home caring for her newborn Prince Louis.

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Meghan's outfit was slightly different than Kate Middleton's first royal ascot look in 2016. Her dress featured a collared neckline and a more buttoned-up vibe while two years ago, Kate wore a breezy, lace Dolce & Gabbana dress with nude pumps and a matching rose fascinator.

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The Duchess of Sussex's coatdress, however, does seem like something her sister-in-law would wear herself. Kate gravitates towards the more classic styles, and like Meghan, her outfits have inspired a legion of followers, too.

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Aside from their outfits, when they chose to make their appearances at the Royal Ascot event differed too. The Duchess of Cambridge attended her first race in 2016, 5 years after getting married, while Meghan experienced this occasion just a month after saying her "I dos." It was reported that while the Queen invited both Prince William and Kate to the Royal Ascot every year since their wedding, the Duchess of Cambridge waited to attend in order to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday.

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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.