With a background in Hollywood, Meghan Markle has never been the one to shy away from taking some risks with her fashion choices even before she became the Duchess of Sussex.
However, once she joined the royal family, following her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, Meghan was forced to abide by traditional rules. Although, this didn’t stop Meghan from making a subtle bold move or two.
After Kate Middleton, Meghan was the new fashionista in the royal family, bringing in a touch of glam and luxury with her selection of designers – setting the bar for other royal women, like Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and even Duchess Sophie.
The Duchess once again went through a style evolution as she stepped back from the position of senior working royal in 2020. Following ‘Megxit’, the former Suits actress made sure to use her style to reflect momentous changes in her life and at times even to send a pointed message across.
This year, as Prince Harry and his wife went through many ups and downs, Meghan resorted to fashion to make all the statements she needed…
Meghan: Breaking free… once again
Meghan previously admitted in her Netflix docuseries that she “rarely wore colour” when she was in the U.K. due to a strict royal protocol which dictated that one shouldn’t be wearing the same colour as other “more senior members of the royal family”.
After playing around with pastels for the brief time she was with the royals, in 2021, Meghan stepped out in a scarlet dress – her first time attending a major event since the royal exit. Experts suggested that Meghan seemingly marked her freedom.
This year, Meghan got a special memo to wear “more colour” so she could fit in Nigeria’s “incredible fashion” during her trip with Prince Harry in May. She wore a red dress by rising Nigerian designer Oríré for a panel discussion at the Women in Leadership event.
However, it wasn’t until October that Meghan notably pulled out her red Carolina Herrera dress for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala. Per royal experts, this was once again a sign of Meghan marking a new era.
The outing came at a time when the Sussexes were reportedly going through a major overhaul of their brand strategy. Rumours of a ‘professional separation’ loomed about the Sussexes, while some speculated that the couple was taking a ‘divide-and-conquer’ approach. This also gave rise to possible divorce rumour but Prince Harry dismissed any speculations of marital troubles during his solo visit to New York in December.
Meghan’s shot at the Windsors
Marking the first official tour by the Sussexes, after stepping down from the royal family, Meghan seemingly took a clear dig at the royals.
The Duchess wore a blush silk maxi dress with a high neck and cutout back from California brand Heidi Merrick, in a style called the Windsor gown – named after the modern British royal family, House of Windsor.
The tour was surrounded by much controversy as royal experts suggested it was a clear challenge to the royal family of the Sussexes’ popularity. The tour was a big success as the couple were welcomed with warmth and vigour. It also sparked conversation to have Harry and Meghan return to the royals, given how they would have benefitted the monarchy, especially amid the cancer diagnosis of King Charles and Kate Middleton.
This set the tone for the couple’s next visit to Colombia, which also turned out to be a major win for the Sussexes.
Meghan showcases goodwill as she cherry-picks labels and designers
This year, the Duchess was seemingly on a mission to support local artists and labels she had close ties to. In an interview with New York Times, Meghan shared that she deliberately handpicks designers when she knows there will be a “global spotlight and attention given to each detail” of her ensemble.
“I support designers that I have really great friendships with, and smaller, up-and-coming brands that haven’t gotten the attention that they should be getting,” she said. “That’s one of the most powerful things that I’m able to do, and that’s simply wearing, like, an earring.”
True to her word, the Duchess chose to support local designers during her Colombia visit in August. She opted for multiple designs from new Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz and another local brand Juan De Dios.
She supported another Colombian designer by wearing a hat by Hannia Char and Silvia Tcherassi by wearing her sequined midi skirt. She wore designer Andres Otalora’s green and white dress.
In Nigeria, apart from the red dress from Oríré, Meghan wore the gifts she received from the locals – a blue striped wrap known in Nigeria as an aso oke and wore the green wrap later on.
Meghan and her power suits
In the world of fashion, pantsuits over decades have represented liberation, power and dominance. When a woman steps out in the formal dress code, it means serious business.
Meghan’s tendency to lean towards a more formal look for some of the big visits represented how she is ready to be taken seriously as she gears up for a launch of her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.
Despite the launch being marred by controversy – whether it was a lawsuit over the brand’s name or her being labelled as ‘Duchess Difficult’ by alleged former Archewell staff – Meghan was determined to assert her dominance in some way.
Some experts may suggest that this may also have been an inspiration from Kate Middleton, who took on more business formal looks after becoming Princess of Wales.
Meghan returns to Hollywood origins
This year, as Meghan embraced more solo outings while Harry busied himself with his own set of engagements, Meghan was all about Hollywood glam.
The Duchess stepped out in a classic strapless black gown paired with a diamond necklace from Logan Hollowell, reconnecting with her Hollywood roots to support pal, Tyler Perry.
Perry, who is also the godfather of Princess Lilibet, as he accepted the Paley Honors Award at the Beverly Hills. During the event, Meghan was also captured having a blast as she danced with Kerry Washington among many other A-listers.
Meghan honours late Princess Diana
One thing that the wives of Prince Harry and Prince William have in common is that they make sure they are honouring their late mother-in-law Princess Diana in some way.
Whether through style inspiration or an accessory that once belonged to the ‘Queen of hearts’, there were several occasions when Meghan chose to remember Diana, especially during the visit to Nigeria and Colombia.
In Nigeria, she wore a delicate cross-pendant adorned with sparkling diamonds set on a gold chain. She also wore a gold collar necklace, which Diana had worn during her visit to Nigeria.
In Colombia, Meghan notably donned a pair of gold butterfly stud earrings known to be a favourite of Diana’s.
Moreover, Diana’s Cartier Tank Française watch, which Harry had previously gifted her, also appeared to be a staple for her ensembles.
Despite its ups and downs, 2024 was the year that the Sussexes tried to hold their ground in front of many challenges. As the year comes to close, how Meghan, alongside Prince Harry, steers the Sussexes in 2025.
