Although she's making obvious efforts to appease the masses, Meghan Markle hasn’t traded
in her personal style just yet.
Even with all of the rule-following refinements she’s made, she's still been accused of dressing inappropriately.
Here are some examples of what royal traditionalists would consider to be inappropriate outfits.
As Harry and Meghan's wedding confirmed, the couple is seriously okay with putting some
traditions to rest.
However, there will always be people who think traditional is best — especially when it
comes to the royal family.
When Meghan attended her very first Trooping of the Colour, an annual celebration of the
sovereign's birthday, in June 2018, her chosen dress was not exactly traditional.
Sitting beside her prince, Meghan arrived at the event in a blush short-sleeve, off-the-shoulder
dress by Carolina Herrera.
People pointed out that Kate Middleton has never even worn sleeves shorter than elbow-length at these events.
Even Princess Diana, who was quite notorious for her revolutionary fashion, never wore
short sleeves, let alone off-the-shoulder dresses, to the Trooping of the Colour.
“I don’t always do what people expect me to do.”
Meghan Markle took a stab at wearing a little black dress to the Women's Empowerment reception held in London.
Of all times to be criticized for an outfit choice, an event celebrating female empowerment
is perhaps the most ironic.
An etiquette expert told InStyle that
"Generally it is thought that black is not worn unless in mourning."
Protocol dictates that all members of the royal family must always take a black outfit when traveling.
The reason for this is pretty somber -- in the unfortunate event that there is a death
within the family, each person must have a mourning outfit ready to go.
Does this mean black is solely for funerals?
Not necessarily, as Princess Diana and now Meghan Markle, have proved.
Nevertheless, it didn't stop some folks from crying inappropriate.
When Kensington Palace tweeted a photo of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meeting with
young delegates from the Commonwealth, it didn't take long before the criticism started rolling in.
Not of what the couple was doing, but about what Meghan was wearing.
The $1197 dollar sleeveless pinstriped dress inspired a ton of comments.
One person wrote,
"Ok, I love Meghan but someone needs to pull her aside and tell her that she needs to stop
thumbing her nose at proper styling for events she attends,"
Another claimed,
"She is too informal.”
And yet, even the queen has worn some sleeveless pieces, meaning the style is selectively appropriate.
Just one month after marrying into the royal family, Meghan Markle attended her first Royal
Ascot, an annual five-day horse-racing event.
This event also happens to have an incredibly strict dress code with detailed requirements.
Ladies are to wear hats or headpieces, as well as knee-length or longer dresses or skirts
and no sleeveless garments.
Meghan played it safe with a monochromatic ensemble.
Her collared, long-sleeved white dress and sun hat fit the requirements perfectly.
However, there was one important detail missing from her outfit that day.
“What the hell is this?”
According to Express, the event requires all guests — even royals — to wear a name tag.
While Meghan did have her name tag in hand, she opted not to put it on her lapel, which
some could argue took her dress from befitting of a duchess to wildly inappropriate.
Before adopting a more neutral color palette, Meghan Markle stepped out in a low-cut bright
green and floral dress paired with a sleek black blazer when attending a meeting about
the Express dubbed the dress both "daring" and "risqué."
“Well, all you did in there was embarrass me.”
Showing some cleavage may not be a big deal for us "commoners," but as a royal, it's not as commonplace.
While low-cut ensembles are not expressly forbidden, you just generally won't see the
royal women sporting plunging necklines.
Of course, when it does happen — and it does happen - it can inspire some to dub the
outfits as inappropriate, or, at the very least, "in poor taste."
While a tailored pantsuit is trés chic for us normal folks, it's not palace-approved
for royals like Meghan Markle.
Which is why the Duchess of Sussex committed a royal faux pas when she wore a pantsuit
on a visit to Ireland in the summer of 2018.
As reported by Insider, Meghan stepped out in a modern black blazer and matching trousers
finished with a crisp white top and smart pumps.
She's been known to rock a pantsuit in the past, too.
Kate Middleton has also been known to wear pantsuits from time to time.
However stylish and popular with the royal newcomers pantsuits may be, they're still
considered off limits, as per the queen's preferences.
According to People, a royal source close to Queen Elizabeth revealed,
"The Queen prefers women in dresses or skirts rather than trouser suits."
As a good friZoom end of tennis star Serena Williams, it makes sense that Meghan Markle
is a frequent attendee of the Wimbledon tennis tournament.
But what might not make sense is why she brought a sun hat but never actually put it on when
she attended the tournament in 2018.
The Duchess of Sussex stole the show in elegant-yet-effortless wide-leg ivory trousers and a striped blouse.
She also carried a wide-brimmed cream-colored sun hat with a chic black ribbon - never once
putting it on her head after she took her spot in the Wimbledon Royal Box.
But why?
Meghan has worn hats to plenty of Wimbledon tournaments before!
Well, the rules changed once she married Prince Harry and became a royal.
As reported by The Sun, Wimbledon attendees who sit in the Royal Box must follow a strict
dress code: men must wear a jacket and a tie, and all guests must not wear hats so they
don’t block the view of people sitting behind the box.
Poor Meghan Markle can't seem to keep the royal hat rules straight.
Before she got in trouble for wearing a hat to Wimbledon, she got in trouble for not wearing a hat!
Per a press release from the Mersey Gateway, Meghan appeared with Queen Elizabeth in their
first-ever official engagement together at the ceremony opening the new Mersey Gateway Bridge.
The visit appeared to go well, with the pair receiving special greetings by local school
children and enjoying a full view of the newly minted bridge.
“Think again.”
But, as reported by the Daily Mail, it wasn't all smiles and waves because Meghan wasn't wearing a hat.
So, even though the duchess looked stunning in a taupe dress, her lack of hat made her outfit a big no-no.
Meghan Markle attended the wedding of one of Prince Harry's best friends in August of 2018.
As reported by Cosmopolitan, she shined in an elegant black, pink, and blue dress cinched
with a black belt, black hat, and strappy heels.
Meghan arrived at the wedding solo, since Harry was in the wedding party, according
to Harper's Bazaar, and, at one point, the top button of her dress came undone and showed
a peek of her black lace bra.
The horror!
It's safe to bet that the palace wasn't pleased about the duchess' little show, especially
since it caused quite a stir with the media.
Some even went so far as to say Meghan showed her bra on purpose to get attention, with
one fashion blogger tweeting,
"Did she deliberately flaunt her bra for the camera?
[...] Meghan stole the show with her deliberate wardrobe malfunction."
Whether or not she did it deliberately, can't we all just calm down about bras?
Women wear them. Even duchesses.
“It wouldn’t hurt so much if you had thicker skin.”
No one can forget that Meghan Markle was a Hollywood celebrity before she was a duchess
— even, it seems, Meghan herself.
She's certainly held tight to some of her pre-royal fashion preferences, including skinny jeans.
She's worn skintight denim quite a few times since becoming a royal.
One notable event was the Invictus Games in 2018, where the duchess wore black skinny
jeans, a black turtleneck, and black pumps topped off with a pinstripe blazer.
She also wore skinny jeans paired with a navy blue jacket and pumps while watching Prince
Harry make a speech at WE Day UK, according to The Zoe Report.
But skinny jeans are not up to palace dress code, no matter how stylish Meghan looks in
her trendy denim.
According to Diana Mather of The English Manner etiquette consultancy, the palace prefers
that women wear a skirt or a dress, as
"[...] Many places will not allow jeans as they are still seen as very casual wear, so
it is better to play safe for both sexes."
Any woman will tell you how awful stockings can be.
Runs can ruin a night, and tight, uncomfortable tops never seem to say put.
Who can blame Meghan Markle for making appearances sans stockings from time to time?
Like in August of 2018 when she attended a performance of the musical Hamilton in London.
Harper's Bazaar reported that Meghan shone in a Judith & Charles black tuxedo dress,
glittering gold clutch, and black stiletto pumps — with no tights.
She's gone bare-legged on multiple other occasions as well, like to a polo match with Prince
Harry or to the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibit.
Is she allowed to go without nylons, though?
Interestingly enough, yes.
Marlene Koenig, a royal expert and blogger, told Harper's Bazaar,
"There are no rules for royal women regarding pantyhose.
While most women (royal or commoner) wear pantyhose with suits or gowns for a good slim
line, it is not required by any decree from the Queen."
But it's definitely breaking from tradition for the duchess to forgo stockings, especially
since both Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton are almost never seen without nude hosiery.
Meghan Markle's been breaking royal rules from the very beginning.
Literally.
Her very first public appearance with Prince Harry was seriously trolled because she wore
ripped jeans - a big no-no.
Markle and Prince Harry attended the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto as an official couple,
and the pair made waves not because of their relationship but because of distressed denim.
The then-future-duchess wore casually chic ripped jeans from MOTHER and a timeless white
button-down shirt with rolled-up sleeves.
Though her outfit would be considered supremely stylish for anyone else, royal trolls thought
she needed to step it up.
One Twitter user wrote,
"I'm thinking that you shouldn't be wearing ripped jeans while out walking in public with a Prince,"
while another user commented,
"Meghan Markle's first official appearance [with] Prince Harry, all eyes on her — and
she wears ripped jeans?"
Unfortunately, the trolls might have been in the right.
According to a BBC report on royal dress code, it's best for royal women to stay away from
jeans in favor of skirts, dresses, or trousers.
One downside to being a duchess?
Having to wear heels all the time.
Maybe that's why Meghan Markle was spotted in Cape Town rocking comfortable-yet-chic wedges.
The duchess, Prince Harry, and their son, Archie, went on a tour of South Africa in
September of 2019, beginning in Cape Town.
Women's Health reported on Meghan's style for the trip, including her black canvas and
espadrille wedges with ribbon ties that she paired with a printed wrap dress and subtle jewelry.
It's a safe bet that her wedges were comfy, considering that she was able to dance with
local women while wearing them.
But sadly, the duchess might have to say goodbye to her comfortable footwear if she wants to
please Her Majesty The Queen.
As a royal source told Vanity Fair in 2015,
“The Queen isn’t a fan of wedged shoes.
She really doesn't like them and it's well known among the women in the family."
Sorry, Meghan.
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