The First Solo Outing with Queen Elizabeth
The first time Meghan showed up to an event with the Queen on her own, she wore a Givenchy dress with a cape-like top that covered her shoulders completely. It looked modest, polished, and perfectly stylish. You’d think there was nothing to criticize here. But the public went up in arms about the fact that she didn’t wear a hat or a fascinator, which is a common accessory for a daytime engagement with the Queen.
Once again this was the case of expectation vs. reality where people thought Meghan broke protocol, when in fact there is no rule absolutely stating that one must wear a heat/fascinator for this occasion. She was well within her rights to simply skip it. And it doesn’t look like the queen had any problems with it either, she seems to be having a pretty good time with Meghan.
The Cut-out Dresses in Colombia
Meghan wore a Johanna Ortiz dress in 2024 when she was visiting Colombia. It was critiszed heavily for the bodice cutouts and the slit in the front that went above the knee. Some even described this as Meghan’s way of showing that she’s no longer adhering to royal protocols at all and refusing to do the beige outfits the Palace would approve of. But was it truly inappropriate, or are people simply expecting her to always dress like a royal even though both she and Prince Harry have stepped away from royal duties?
The Hamilton Gala Mini Tuxedo Dress
Meghan wore a tuxedo-style mini dress by Judith&Charles to the special Hamilton performance in London in August of 2018, and everyone lost their minds over the fact that the hem of the dress was short by royal standards (above the knee). On top of that, Meghan wearing that dress with bare legs instead of with nude hosiery was seen as completely scandalous. Apparently, royals aren’t allowed to step outside without tights even in the summer.
The New Zealand Skirt Moment
One of the things Meghan wore during her royal tour in 2018 was a royal blue Givenchy outfit. The look featured a long pleated blue skirt that photographed weird. In some photos it seemed like it was a bit see-through, while in others the trail looked unquestionably solid. It’s actually impossible to tell if the fabric looked sheer due to lighting and camera angles or not, but people like to talk, so it still made headlines.
