When American actress Meghan Markle posed for photographers just hours after revealing her engagement to 33-year-old Prince Harry last month, she wore a white coat over a green dress.
While both sold out of stores and online in less than an hour, the outfit choice was… safe. It was Princess-y and conservative and official.
But the outfit the 36-year-old Suits star donned for her latest round of engagement pics, released on Kensington Palace's official social media channels, was anything but.
In the snaps (which, side note, makes us think we've never seen a pair as much in love as these two), Meghan wears a couture gown by British-based designers Ralph & Russo.
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The couture label was founded just 10 years ago by Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo, two Australians who met while both working in London.
The top half of the dress is almost entirely sheer, bar a few cleverly placed beaded details. It costs more than AU$97,000 and reportedly takes "hours of manual labour" to create.
Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle, December 2017. pic.twitter.com/HrAc9FeN51
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 21, 2017
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Top Comments
Meghan obviously looks very beautiful but I’m not a fan of the dress. I think black is a bit morbid and in all the pictures it seems like she’s trying to hide behind Harry because the dress is sheer.
I can’t imagine Meghan being told by anyone what she can and can’t wear. She’s going to rock the palace, very cool.
I think she will do what she can to 'fit in' with her new found Royal celebrity. I remember when Fergie hooked up with Prince Andrew and she was considered a 'breath of fresh air' etc. It didn't take long for the press to turn against her and there is no reason to believe this won't happen again.
I think a ‘backlash’ kind of thing will happen no matter what - it always does. Good news only sells for so long, then the tabloids get bored and start looking for bad stuff. A photo where the one of them is frowning becomes ‘trouble in paradise’, and there are stories from ‘close sources’ telling how miserable Meghan is. Hopefully they are aware of how it works, and are strong enough to carry on regardless.
Meghan will be bound by protocol, like everyone else in the Firm - so yes, she will be told what she can and can't wear (and do, and say). Her (relatively minor) former celebrity is hardly going to make a dent in that respect.