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

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(Image credit: Splash)

published 19 June 2018

On Tuesday, Meghan Markle attended her first-ever Royal Ascot event (opens in new tab) with Prince Harry, the Queen, and the rest of the royal family. The Duchess of Sussex wore a cream-colored Givenchy dress (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab), 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 (opens in new tab).

Marina Liao is the former fashion news editor at MarieClaire.com, 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 also had many opportunities to write content in other areas such as beauty, food, tech, and even home. Her previous fashion stints include POPSUGAR and Cosmopolitan.