After starting out strong, it does feel like Meghan Markle’s royal-fiancee fashion has been a little bit “one step forward, two steps back.” We already have a duchess who alters clothes in bizarre ways. We already have a duchess who only buys clothes if they’re covered in comically large buttons. We already have a duchess who thinks that royal women can only wear skirts or jeggings and nothing in between. We all hoped that Meghan would be different, that she would wear stylish and professional-looking separates, that she would always be occasion-appropriate. Obviously, Meghan’s not even royal yet, so I say that we give her the same kind of Kate-style “grace period” to figure things out. But as it turns out, sabotage might be afoot! According to Katie Nicholl, our worst fears are coming true: the Duchess of Cambridge is passive-aggressively “helping” Meghan with her royal wardrobe. Nooooo.
While some tabloids have tried to suggest that Kate Middleton feels threatened by Meghan Markle’s arrival in the royal family, those in the know say that Prince Harry’s fiancée and the Duchess of Cambridge have become firm friends who trade fashion tips. On Wednesday, Meghan paid Kate (who is at home caring for her newborn son) the ultimate fashion compliment by wearing an outfit by one of the duchess’s favorite designers, New Zealand-born Emilia Wickstead. Wickstead has a boutique in London’s Belgravia and provides custom designs for some of her clients. Kate is a huge fan of the colorful yet conservative dresses and has worn Emilia Wickstead for many royal engagements over the years.
“Kate is often in the studio to go over lookbooks and have fittings, and she suggested the boutique to Meghan for more formal wear,” a source said. Both the black dress and quilted jacket Meghan wore to Wednesday’s Anzac service at Westminster Abbey were custom-made for her by Wickstead. Markle paired the ensemble with a bespoke Philip Treacy pillbox hat, one of Kate’s signature styles by one of her favorite milliners.
“Kate’s not the sort of person to get offended if someone wears something she likes or one of her favourite designers,” the source added. “Meghan asked her advice for formal wear and Kate told her where to go. They were also consulting each other on their clothes so that they complemented each other on engagements and didn’t clash.”
While Kate has a stylist, Natasha Archer, who is based in-house at Kensington Palace and sources much of the duchess’s wardrobe, Meghan counts on her best friend Jessica Mulroney for style advice. But some of the more formal occasions she’s attended recently required an expert eye, and for that Meghan turned to Kate, who has been part of the royal family for nearly seven years now. It was the duchess who apparently suggested that Meghan opt for British brands, and the American-born actress has taken note. She wore a super-stylish cape dress by Stella McCartney to the Queen’s birthday concert last weekend, and has championed Burberry and Mulberry on other engagements. The cream Amanda Wakeley coat she wore to the Commonwealth Day service in March was another triumph.
While Kate’s outfits for official engagements are paid for by Prince Charles, Meghan has been picking up the shopping bills herself. As a soon-to-be royal she is no longer allowed to accept freebies from designers, a privilege she would have enjoyed as an actress. “Meghan has needed to smarten up her wardrobe for all the engagements she has been attending with Harry,” said a royal source. “It hasn’t been cheap.” Once she officially joins the royal family, Meghan’s clothing budget will also come from the Prince of Wales. For now, though, she is footing her own bills, including paying for her own wedding dress.
Of course Katie Nicholl is Kate’s hagiographer so Nicholl is making it sound like the credit should be given to Kate for every “good look” Meghan wears. I don’t doubt that Kate has offered some advice, nor do I doubt that Meghan has asked for Kate’s input. But I hope this doesn’t last long. Like, as soon as Meghan joins the Firm, I want her to cut Jessica Mulroney loose as her stylist, and Meg should also stop taking advice from Kate, who is actively trying to sabotage her. I would watch that movie, by the way: The Buttons Who Knew Too Much. Two royal women trying to sabotage each other with passive-aggressive fashion “advice” about doily dresses, shiny buttons and cork wedges.
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News, Backgrid, WENN.
Hahahahahaha – I’ll believe Meghan is taking fashion advice from Katie Keen when she starts wearing skirts and dresses that fly up to her ears in the slightest hint of wind.
It doesn’t seem like that has happened in years though. It does seem like Kate learned her lesson there.
@Brandy, tsk that’s not going to stop people from going on about it forever!
It should never have happened the multiple times that it did. Speaks volumes.
Kate hasn’t had a major fly up in a while. She has had wardrobe issues. They’re just not as widely covered anymore.
And this will be brought up for a long time. Why? Because it shouldn’t have ever happened. And it happened a lot in obvious ways. Easily preventable ways. Almost like she was intentionally doing it ways.
It it was so frequent and didn’t occur with easily prevented steps no one would think twice about it.
Was that an unintentional reveal of what Kate actually does with her time when Nichols states that “Kate is often in the studio going through lookbooks”?
Plenty of time to spend shopping and browsing lookbooks, but cannot be away from the kids to show up and work. No surprise.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think these two women talk fashion. Advice given and taken is actually great as it might broaden both of their horizons fashion wise. I think that it’s actually a lovely way to bond and for Kate, particularly, to show support. Meghan is smart enough to take advice from someone experienced in a similar position until she feels more settled and secure within her new role. That is wise, savvy, and just plain old common sense.
These two will be staring at each other over holidays, banquets, and various royal engagements forever (I hope) so although it wouldn’t be good for gossip, it would be great for them if they enjoyed one another. I’m not suggesting BFF’s but a genuine camaraderie would be novel and absolutely play against the “competing, catty women” narrative that the tabs are going to push, no doubt. I would really appreciate that kind of positive relationship to be highlighted.
I only wish I felt that way about my SIL. Ugh, got to see her this weekend :(. Unlike these two, I will probably over imbibe in wine just to get through it which I don’t imagine they will be able to do at stuff like the Trooping of the Color!
I didn’t really like my sister in law for years. She was the obvious favorite child, and she got away with SO much crap that we never would have. I married the guy I started dating at 14 – so I’ve had to go through a lot of growing pains with my inlaws.
As an adult though – I actually enjoy her. I can chat with her about clothes, or her daughter or whatever, and keep it light. This is after years of arguing and teenaged brattiness on both sides, really. We’re very different people in a lot of ways – but we’re on the same team. We’ve both hustled to support each other when we had to – kind of like fighting blood siblings, I guess. But dealing with other branches of the family that are less than kind, we’ve sort of bonded and managed to at least be relieved when the other is at some sort of event.
And I figure – it was always going to be kind of like that with Kate and Meghan. They might not be the same kind of person. They might not ever be best friends. But they’re going to be family, and they’re going to be attending plenty of things together – and it only makes sense that they make the best of it. Talking about light, somewhat unimportant things is just a natural start to their relationship.
They’re constantly pitted against each other – on both sides. There are the people who don’t think Meghan is good enough. There are the people who agonize over ‘what could Meghan possibly find to talk about with Kate – she’s so much more intelligent and worldly’. These women have been turned into caricatures of themselves in a lot of ways. Kate isn’t ONLY a button loving waity. Meghan isn’t ONLY an intellectual involved in causes. They both are going to have some traits that overlap and mesh together because they’re living, breathing humans and not 2 dimensional characters in a failed sitcom. I can’t imagine wanting these two to hate each other. They’re going to be sister-in-laws – they’re going to be in this for the long haul. Nobody expects them to be each others ONLY friend, but I would hope that they can at least have fun together when they are spending time as a family. I’d love to see future stories about the two of them going off on their own and having a ball.
Great comment, Erinn! The glee with which some people like to push down either of these two women gets a bit much.
Well said, Erinn! I have no idea why so many want to turn it into a competition. My hope for both is a lasting and supportive friendship. They will both benefit from having each other’s back amidst all the craziness, and I personally think they realize it.
@Erinn get out of here with your reasonable comments!
I think for sure Meghan loves fashion and very expensive engagement dresses!!! I doubt Kate likes to talk about worldly issues, though. I don’t think she is dim, like Harry seems to be. I just think she has no interest.
Great comment, Erinn.
To add on, Kate is not dim. Albeit she did get a brilliant education from a top English public school but she also has a reasonable degree from one of the UK’s top unis outside Oxbridge.
I wouldn’t describe Meghan as intellectual. She’s intelligent, and she has a cause, ( animal cause ), but that doesn’t mean she’s an intellectual. Meghan is more of a self made socialite. She’s very charming and delightful. She’s much more concerned with appealing favorably to people than engaging in critical discourse that can be off putting and even argumentative. Not saying she’s incapable of having intellectual conversations, just that it’s not a dominate personality trait of hers to warrant that label.
+1 for these sensible comments.
I don’t see any indication that Kate is “actively trying to sabotage” Meghan. If Kate was intentionally misguiding Meghan, i would hope Meghan was smart enough to see through it. In any case, Kate’s style is totally different to Meghan, i cant imagine her wearing that striped dress for example. Also, the fit of Kate’s clothes is always impeccable.
Personally i feel Meghan is still trying to find her style, her style fluctuates between office worker and celebrity at the moment, but im sure once she gets a proper stylist she’ll nail it every time. She’s gorgeous with an amazing figure, she’ll get there.
Yes, THANK YOU for a comment that actually makes sense!
I think so, too, MrsBump. I don’t see Kate as trying to sabotage Meghan. If anything, I think Kate honestly thinks her own style is perfect and feels that Meghan should follow in her wedge-wearing footsteps.
Have you ever gotten advice from someone who maaaybe shouldn’t be giving you advice in the first place? I think that’s the case here.
I don’t think Kate’s outfits are properly fitted at all. Take the bridesmaid dress at Pippa’s wedding for example. That was a horrible fit in the cleavage area. She does the opposite of what Meghan does in that she mostly has her outfits fit too tight, even though the clothing is generally conservative. Maybe if they meet somewhere in the middle they will both get it right.
Meghan, American actress who has 100% worked with many stylists before, asked Kate Middleton of the doilies where to go for ‘formal wear’.
Can we agree this is the latest tidbit in the case of the Don’t forget about meeeeeeeeeeeeee’s?
right? I mean a quick Google search reveals that Meghan can do formal-wear really well, especially compared to Kate’s overly fussy, doily, buttony-ness.
I, for one, am hoping that Meghan’s love of trousers influences Kate and see start seeing her in some nice pants and less fussy wear. i think she would look amazing with her height
I can see Katie in pantsuits – but more along the lines of Hilary’s suits than Charlize Theron suits. lol
Which is surprising….that Meghan has had so many stylists and yet nothing seems to fit her properly. She can’t be the only petite woman they’ve fitted. Her clothes are almost always too big!
Yes indeed, her pants are often so long that you can’t see her shoes at all and with her 4 inch heels it looks like she is on stilts. It’s a silly look, not a nice one.
Fire Jessica Mulroney stat – she is *not* your friend and those looks are no bueno. Meghan is a gorgeous woman with a lovely, petite frame and should seek a stylist who understands her proportions and modern royal workwear; it cannot be that difficult.
How can she fire her best friend and rumored matron of honor?
But yes, I agree she’s a terrible stylist.
Is she really the matron of honor! Kate’s weddings it was all about Pippa’s ass, will Meghan’s be Jessica Mulroney’s inflated lips?
@anika wow that is kind of a mean comment about the physical appearance of a private person who has done little (nothing?) to court attention.
Really Clare? Jessica Mulroney clearly likes attention, she goes to premieres and other stuff like that to get attention and publicity. I think that makes her makes her appearance fair “gossip” game.
@Clare, Jessica Mulroney is a Canadian public figure and “celebrity”, heiress to a huge shoe business, married to a celebrity and the son of a former Prime Minister. She is also besties with our current PM’s wife and her “celeb” stylist. she is not a private person. And she does have over-inflated lips a la Kylie Jenner.
Fair enough – I personally think she has been extraordinarily discreet in this whole drama, but to each their own.
personally i have no problem with people commenting on things people do to their body parts as these things done can be changed (a lot of times for the better), my only problem is moments of body parts that people can’t change (eg. skin color, skinny legs, body size and shapes etc). If Jessica Malroney, just like Kim Zolciac, has botoxed to destruction lips? If people are commenting on Zolciac lips? Then Malroney lips are fair game, IMVHO.
I had to Google her and I wouldn’t take any fashion advice from her neither.
Yes, whoever is giving Meghan fashion advice, whether her friend or Kate, is doing a terrible job. Her clothes swim on her, and many are just ugly. And Kate and Meghan are built completely differently. The only thing they have in common is that they are both slim.
And why does the Duchy pay for the wife of the 6th in line’s clothes?? Wait until the public who doesn’t know these things hears about that and the cost of every outfit. That should endear Meghan to them, a 5K bespoke dress!! Sophie works a lot more than Kate. Who pays for her clothes?? Anyone know? Does the Duchy pay for her outfits, too?? Doesn’t seem fair to Sophie if she has to buy her own.
Taxpayers pay for any clothing Sophie wears for royal duties. That is the rule across the board for all the royals engaged in duties for the crown.
There is an obsfucation regarding the clothing paid by Charles. He might receive the bill for Kate’s clothing/ grooming services, but he gets a tax write off for items/ services used for royal duties. The same for the costs of their office, and WH’s wardrobe too.
I think part of the problem is that while Meghan worked, her work was hollywood glamour, not a law firm like Amal Clooney. Amal had lots of experience buying and wearing work clothes, and her work style is gorgeous, although I think her other clothes are nuts. Meghan went tight and short for many of her appearances, befitting her job.
Now she is trying to transition to business wear, real business wear, not glamor business wear. Letizia was in a more formal business so seems to get it right most of the time. Maxima is wacky, but does hit the right notes, as she was in business. I don’t know if people can do it after so many years doing differently. Kate never had a business job and still struggles. Meghan had a different type of job.
If I were Meghan, I would watch what Letizia wears and pick pieces like those that work for her much shorter height. But they are both petite, and she could do worse that to follow Letitizia’s style. Mary’s style is frumpier, like Kate’s, so I would avoid watching her!
Since I am a USAian, the only public purpose of these royals is for amusement.
Therefore, I wish to recast the role of Kate with Cate Blanchett. Think of the heavenly looks Kate/Cate and Meghan would now rock!
I almost went with la Swinton but no. The world is not ready.
I think Meghan needs to find herself a good gay guy stylist and not depend on Kate Middleton (if at all Meghan is seeking fashion advice from Kate). Kate’s stylist live quite a lot to be desired TBH. This sounds though like the regular Katie Nicholl articles pushing the “Kate is future queen and Meghan is marrying the spare” narrative.
@MRS WELENMELON I juSt watched Thor Ragnarok and I could see Kate as Cate Blanchett’s goddess of death character. But I agree with you about Tilda Swinton for the win
I can believe that Kate is offering fashion advice but I don’t think its to sabotage Meghan. I can see Kate being shocked that Meghan shows her arms at daytime events or whatever and thinking she needs to teach Meghan how to “dress royal.” Kate has heard nothing but excessive praise for her fashion choices over the years so she wouldn’t think that giving Meghan tips would be “sabotage.”
Sabotaging Meghan is too juvenile a thought for discussion. Meghan would have to be incredibly naive not to see it and Kate would have to be terribly petty to attempt it. Kate is popular in her own right and has a new born child, two more kids, and a body to get into shape for the big day. I don’t think sabotaging anyone is on her agenda. Meghan isn’t an ingenue that is listening to anyone’s advice with unquestioning wide eyes. Both are wiser than this.
Kate’s “royal dressing” has been praised. To me, like Meghan, she had hits and misses. I really want the two together to inspire each other to try different things. I’m all for Kate in slacks. I’d live to see Meghan with better tailoring.
Another story I take with a grain of salt.
@Minx – ITA – like, maybe a couple of bucketsful of salt.
Yep!
same.
Ditto.
A scenario with enough plausibility to be factual but not necessarily true.
I believe this is more Jessica vs kate. Lord I hope meghan’s wedding dress is good. Afterwards hopefully megan will a different stylist.
I am sure there are some grains of truth in the story. However, in my humble opinion, both women should be looking at the styles of some (but not all) of the European royals for guidance. Mary of Denmark and Letizia of Spain spring to mind as they seem to dress appropriately for royal occasions most of the time.
Agree. Mary, Letizia and Victoria dress appropriately and always look well put together. Jessica’s style is all wrong for Meghan.
None of them are perfect, but there are lessons to be learned from looking at all of the royal ladies. They are dressing for similar roles, makes sense to see how they put together their wardrobes.
Mary spends taxpayer money like water and has her share of awful outfits. Her recent appearance at the LGBT awards is an example. She might have been trying to dress to a theme, but that $3600 jacket was an expensive miss.
Marie is good at basic day wear, but her evening wear can be terrible.
Letizia has been good with inexpensive day wear (esp trousers) but has her missteps too. The pink floral thing from last week is a good example of What Not To Wear.
Victoria is good at some things, horrible at others. The silver teflon skater girl outfit comes to mind, along with the strange asymmetrical black cocktail dress she wore when W&K were on their Please Like Us Anyway Brexit Tour.
I like Letizia’s style for Meghan, pared down because Letizia is taller. Mary reminds me more of Kate in the way she dresses – she often looks frumpy, although I LOVED that jacket/coat she wore to the LGBT awards. And Victoria has been wearing some crazy suits recently!!
The theme of these Meghan/Kate stories is that women are fake, jealous Bs who passive aggressively try to sabotage each other when they feel threatened by another woman getting more attention than them. Way to reinforce some negative female stereotypes there.
@Abby rose,
Please see my posts. I am actively trying to combat this exact kind of narrative.
Scenario one:
Kate = jealous, petty, matronly
Meghan = earnest, energetic, hip
Or Scenario two:
Kate = queen-to-be perfection, mentoring, demurely motherly
Meghan = title grasping, domineering, limelight seeker
It’s ridiculous. And you know what? I think both Princes are lucky to have have seemingly found lovely women that are willing to live in the fish bowl with them continually being criticized far more than either man ever is. Not only that but their families are dissected as well. Add to that the unenviable and inevitable claims of social climbing that both have thrown at them along with enough protocol to make you won’t if there are rules to breathing correctly!
I truly hope that they are all happy and live one another because that sounds like, at least, some layer of hell to me.
Tulip Garden, I so agree. My feeling is that the women don’t know each other all that well yet, but that they seem to get along and like each other so far. I guess it’s more dramatic if they are portrayed as jealous, backstabbing shrews.
Tulip Garden, yes! There is zero competition visible to the naked eye between Kate and Meghan. Meghan seems to be a bright and very caring woman who will keep Harry on his toes in the best way. (I think we’ll see Meghan take more interesting style risks in the years to come. Right now she’s just barely learning to dress for her new role.) Kate seems to be thrilled with motherhood and is rumored to be a very kind and gentle soul. K & M may not be destined to be BFFs but they probably understand each other’s unique situation all too well and can offer each other mutual support and friendly commiseration.
Sorry to be such a Pollyanna.
MM is in process of being Windsorized or British spelling: Windsorised.
I knew it when she showed up at that memorial recently in the nude shoes, but she’s rebelling, I could see she’s bravely fighting the Windsor force by going sleeveless and bare legged.
Someone needs to advise meghan to wear better fitting shoes for sure!!
I love me some huge and many buttons, and cork wedges too! But, the story here? Gimme a break.
My reaction is the gif from The Office of Michael Scott screaming, “no, no please no!”
I don’t think either of them advise each other on anything…yet. Early days. I’m sure they will bond (or not) in the future. Meg has been busy with wedding stuff and Kate is managing a newborn. I doubt they are even in regular contact…
Or maybe MM isn’t the fashionista who will change the BRF like everyone here wants her to be? I knew that she would fall from that pedestal cb commenters put her on.
You understand being a fashionista and working well for the BRF are different things, right? They are not required to be fashionable in their roles, otherwise Anne would have been thrown out years ago for re-wearing clothes from 30 years ago. They’re required to dress to protocol and appropriately for the job and event, hopefully without breaking the bank.
Thus far, Meghan has done three times more engagements than Kate did during the same period in their lives. We’ll have to see what happens after the wedding, but she’s already started out well.
@ Nickname
I really don’t understand why any member of the BRF should be a fashionista.
Certainly it’s very important that they are dressed in classy, appropriate for the occasion, well made and well tailored clothes, but being a fashionista is not their role.
Hopefully they promote designers of the Commonwealth as much as possible, but I think the main focus should be on championing charitable causes and shedding light on social issues that need improvement.
For the most part, I like what MM is wearing, it’s nice to see her in different styles of pants for example, but some of them need to be hemmed properly. So they don’t drag on the ground, it looks sloppy.
Although that stripped/buttony dress mess was awful, I don’t know what Meghan was thinking.
I haven’t liked Kate’s style from the get go, way before I’ve heard of MM.
I often find Kate’s style matronly, she seems to be dressing like a 50+ women, the wedges are truly hideous, the nude shoes, too many buttons, the patterns and I really hate the jeggings.
The skin tight clothing screams desperation to me.
Why not skim the body instead of being nearly glued on?
I agree that the BRF should not be fashionistas, but disagree that Meghan has dressed for protocol. I don’t think sleeveless when everyone else is in jackets is appropriate and some other missteps.
I think Meghan has to figure out how to to not frumpy, but still appropriate. It’s actually easy- stick to business separates: jackets, pants, blouses, thin sweaters under jackets. It’s not rocket science. Look professional, appropriate and polished. I do it for work, I don’t get it why neither Kate nor Meghan seem to be able to hit the mark.
I hope you’re kidding with the trying-to-sabotage-her thing. Even if Kate’s style is not to our taste, obviously it’s passed muster so far, and honestly megan is an American trying to assimilate into British society. Of course she’d take her advice.
I want to see Meghan in something from Roksanda.
Two questions:
Is the obsessive hatred of buttons (on coats, which regularly happen to have buttons) more or less bizarre than the obsessive hatred of bangs?
How many stories can one publish about one woman allegedly giving fashion advice to another woman?
@ Luisa slow clap
I agree, that’s a “Nooooo.” The buttons are a British thing, not a Kate thing. Fashion is not just about clothes, though. It’s a message, a personal philosophy and a statement of intent. There is no way Meghan with her connections and exposure will ever need to take style advice from Kate. They have different body shapes and personalities. Meghan worked for a living before meeting Harry. That is a different mindset altogether. Meghan expects to “earn” her place and work hard to remain accepted while Kate’s family got there by brute force and mind games. Those are two different wardrobes, different makeup choices and different hairstyles. Also, if Meghan takes any advice from Kate it’ll include “how to lose volume in your cheeks and and make them sag to the floor.” Meghan’s skin is already drying out and has fine lines so … perhaps she’s also switched to ethanol-containing skincare products. It baffles me how rich people can’t take care of their skin.
Don’t coats need buttons?
Well she may give her some superficial advises but I doubt they sit for hours and detail every choice or occasion. You know what? I doubt they have had even that. I doubt they are at that stage yet. Kate is a mother of three now, two and pregnant when they became official and with a “job” and a full life. They probably have had tea together, those Christmas days full of activities and that’s it and that’s ok.
I hope as soon as Meghan gets married she hires some good personal staff around her that understand her role and her body. Besides she seems to have style on her own which is not bad.
That is some awkward stance by Harry in that last photo.
Philip Treacy has been one of the queen’s favorite milliners for years. He makes hats for all the royals not just Kate (and Grace Jones, Sara Jessica Parker, Lady Gaga etc. etc.)
It hasn’t been “years” since Kate managed to moon the world. Will she also advise Meghan to wear transluscent dresses?
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/8nu49fnL9xU/Royal+Ascot+2017+Day+1/-TxjPuFeNCg