Expert Explains How Meghan Markle Asserted Her Independence With a ‘Micro-Aggression’ the Day She Married Prince Harry
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot on May 19, 2018. Their royal wedding was filled with so many memorable moments from the star-studded guestlist to the couple’s kiss atop the steps of St. George’s Chapel to bride’s dress, of course.
But an expert pointed out that there was something about Meghan’s look on her big day that appeared to be a subtle sign of the duchess asserting her independence from the rest of the royal family.
Expert says Meghan asserted independence with ‘micro-aggression’ at wedding
Less than two years after saying “I do,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their roles within the royal family and announced that they would work to become “financially independent.” But a style expert believes that Meghan asserted her independence much earlier with one subtle detail the day she married Harry.
Hallie Abrams, stylist and founder of The Wardrobe Consultant, spoke to Express about Meghan’s hairstyle that day.
“I thought it was very pretty, but it did bother me a little bit that her hair was sort of falling. And a wedding’s not the time. I don’t think you want your hair loose and going astray,” Abrams told the publication. The stylist added that it seemed “like an exertion of her own independence in little microaggressions.”
Abrams also suggested that the former Suits star could have been trying to communicate her sense of self through “little things to say like, ‘oh, this is me, and that’s how I’m gonna do it.'”
Other ways royal women send messages with their style
Abrams explained that Meghan certainly isn’t the first royal family member who has used their style instead of words to send a strong message. She noted that royal women often use their clothes to do so.
“One can look at what the royals wear to many, many occasions, and they really are the epitome of speaking before you’ve opened your mouth,” Abrams said. “I think there is a lot of forethought put into it. Some of it is protocol. You have to wear some color, you have to wear a hat here or you need to wear stockings. Sometimes it’s, ‘I’m gonna go to this country and I’m going to send a message because I’m going to wear a designer from there.’
“If you’re a fashion nerd you could really spend days down the rabbit hole and dissect all of it. And for those that don’t know or don’t care, they’re still getting the message, almost like a subconscious message.”
Royals recently sent a message to Meghan without saying a word
An example of the royals sending a strong message without saying a word came after the release of Meghan and Harry’s Netflix docuseries in December 2020 when the duchess said: “To my understanding, you can’t ever wear the same color as Her Majesty if there’s a group event. But then you also should never be wearing the same color as one of the other more senior members of the family.”
Days after the documentary was released, the royals gathered at Westminster Abbey for the “Together at Christmas” carol service. That evening the Princess of Wales (formerly Kate Middleton), Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall, and Princess Charlotte countered Meghan’s claim when they all wore burgundy. And Camilla, Queen Consort (formerly Camilla Parker Bowles) and Prince Edward’s wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, wore coordinating off-white ensembles.
Then on Christmas Day as the family walked to the morning church service in Sandringham, Kate and Princess Beatrice both sported dark green coats while Edward and Sophie’s daughter, Lady Louise, donned a dark blue coat which was the same color as Camilla’s.
