Has Meghan Markle Ditched the Royal Dress Code?
Long before Meghan Markle and Prince Harry broke away from the royal family, the Duchess of Sussex was deemed a royal rule-breaker. The British press made quick work of dismantling her every move and pointing out every time she sidestepped protocol. Meghan, however, did follow many of the fashion rules associated with royal life. Now that she’s no longer an official, working royal, she’s reportedly embracing her more casual side.
Is there a royal rulebook for fashion?
According to Glamour, there is no official protocol when it comes to fashion, but there are a series of unspoken rules. The queen, for example, has a strong preference for skirts and dresses. There are very few instances of Queen Elizabeth II donning pants. It seems that the ladies of the family have chosen to follow suit, even though pants are not strictly prohibited, or anything.
There seems to be a subtle moratorium on jeans, too. A royal insider told Cosmopolitan that jeans are strictly prohibited, except for incredibly casual circumstances. The insider notes that Meghan, for example, can throw on a pair of jeans to take a walk, but shouldn’t show up to an event in denim. The same is true for brightly colored nails. The queen, apparently, prefers Essie brand nail polish, and she’s partial to the color “Ballet Slippers.”
There are also fashion rules for the younger royals, too. Prince George and his little brother, Prince Louis, won’t be photographed wearing pants regularly until they are around eight. The royal family prefers to dress younger boys in shorts and knee socks. The young prince, did, however, wear pants as part of Meghan and Prince Harry’s wedding party.
Meghan Markle is apparently thrilled to ditch the royal fashion rules
Back in January 2020, a reported insider told In Touch that Meghan was happy to ditch the royal dress code in favor of sweats and jeans. The former Suits star, reportedly has always been more comfortable in casual wear. Before joining the royal family, Meghan had a preference for power suits for business engagements and liked to keep it casual in jeans and sweaters during her downtime.
The same source also claimed that Meghan had a particular aversion to the royal’s thoughts on skirt length. The queen reportedly strongly believes all dresses should be knee-length or longer. Before joining the royal family, Meghan seemed to enjoy showing off her long legs.
Meghan and Prince Harry were spotted in Los Angeles looking casual
During the early days of the royal split, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent time in Canada, but they’ve since decided that LA is more their scene. In April 2020, they were spotted out and about, and it looks like Meghan truly is embracing her casual side.
The pair were spotted walking their dogs. Prince Harry donned a pair of jeans, a polo shirt, a ball cap, and bandana over his mouth and nose during the outing. Meghan wore white leggings with a black shirt, a ball cap, and a bandana covering her mouth and nose. Reports have suggested the pair are quarantining alone with baby Archie, and are not accepting visitors of any kind. During a different outing in LA, Meghan was spotted in olive joggers.
