Meghan Markle ‘borrows’ designer clothes to meet ‘fashion demands’

Meghan Markle’s royal wardrobe has long been under the microscope, and it turns out there may have been a very practical reason behind some of her most talked-about style moments. 

While accepting free clothes outright is strictly off limits for working royals, protocol does allow for garments to be borrowed and returned well known in the fashion world.

Fashion enthusiasts still talk about Meghan’s 2018 Tonga tour with Prince Harry, her first overseas engagement as a married couple. 

Celebrity stylist Martine Alexander told the Daily Mail that it wouldn’t be surprising if Meghan’s team “contacted PR companies or brands directly to ask if they can borrow pieces” on her behalf. 

The Duchess' £360 beige linen trousers and matching single-breasted waistcoat from Australian brand St Agni, spotted at a business summit in the Hamptons. 

Observers noticed her feet were entirely hidden by the trousers. Celebrity stylist Rochelle White suggests this wasn’t a fluke, the trousers were likely a sample pair, designed for a 5ft 10in model, and therefore impossible to adjust perfectly for her 5ft 6in frame.

“Samples are intentionally made with models in mind,” Alexander explains. 

“Temporary alterations are possible, but trousers are tricky you’d have to cut the length off.” 

Fashion expert Jane Tippett also points to Meghan’s minimal re-wearing of outfits as a clue, her looks were often borrowed, not owned, making repeated appearances unlikely.

The infamous Self-Portrait dress with the fluttering label? Tippett calls it a “sloppy mistake” from a newly minted working royal. “There was no pristine checking system,” she notes. 

“There should have been a dresser or Royal aide to catch that.” 

Meanwhile, Princess Kate is renowned for re-wearing her favorite pieces.