Meghan Markle’s best and worst fashion looks: the Duchess of Sussex wowed with Givenchy and Prada outfits worn as a working British royal with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Harry, but had epic style misses too

May 1 , 2021

Meghan Markle had plenty of fashion hits – and misses. Photos: Getty, Wire

Amid the Oprah Winfrey furore, Meghan’s reputation as a fashion icon is still intact – but not all her outfits were hits, especially in her pre-royal days

There was her stunning wedding dress by Clare Waight Keller, her Emilia Wickstead ‘revenge dress’, and she even broke royal protocol for her personal style

Meghan Markle is undoubtedly one of the hottest talking points of the decade. Following Meghan and Prince Harry’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in March, and the passing of Prince Philip, the Sussexes are under even closer scrutiny since they stepped down as senior working royals in the British monarchy.

But away from the drama and news headlines, even her greatest detractors couldn’t argue with the fact that Markle is a real fashion icon sure to be celebrated for decades. The Duchess of Sussex was named 2019’s “Most Powerful Fashion Icon” in Lyst’s Year in Fashion report. To put her influence into better perspective, after she wore shirt dresses during her royal tour to Africa that same year, searches for the garments went up by 45 per cent.

Since joining the royal family, Meghan made weightier, more deliberate fashion choices, going from Hollywood chic to donning a dreamy wedding dress, dazzling jewellery – and don’t forget the quintessential royal accessory, the fascinator, donned during her former royal engagements.

But the Suits actress also showcased her personal style, often by breaking royal protocols and sporting new, youthful brands like Strathberry and Sentaler, leaving a powerful mark in the royal fashion books.

Here are some of Meghan’s best – and most lacking – fashion moments over the years.

The hits

Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive to attend The Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in London in March 2020. Photo: AFP

When showing up at the Mountbatten Festival of Music in 2020, at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Meghan opted for a head-to-toe red ensemble that matched Harry’s outfit. Her red Kalika stretch-crêpe gown from emerging British brand Safiyaa is priced at US$1,800. She paired it with a Manolo Blahnik red satin Capri clutch in the same hue.