Meghan Markle should consider a "full rebrand" of her style for upcoming awards ceremonies to show she's "moving in a new direction" after recent hits to her popularity, a celebrity stylist told Newsweek's The Royal Report podcast.
Meghan debuted a sleek new look last month when making a digital introduction for a photographer friend's TED Talk. It was the sort of fashion choice she should continue making if she wants to leave negativity in the past, according to Miranda Holder, a stylist and royal fashion expert.
Speaking to Newsweek's chief royal correspondent, Jack Royston, Holder offered her professional advice to the duchess, who will accept two awards in the coming weeks, one from the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and another as part of the Women of Vision Awards.
"As a stylist, I would absolutely suggest a full rebrand," she said. "Let's move on. Let's reinvent Meghan, and let's just go for it. It would [need to] be something fairly major to get everyone talking, like going blond, for example.
"I mean, it's a cliché, isn't it?" she continued. "You break up with someone, you get your hair cut. Well, she's broken up with the royal family. Let's cut our hair, let's do something drastic with it, and let's change her look!"
Meghan's clothing choices have often won her praise from the fashion press. She was one of the first members of the senior royal family to fully embrace buying French-made couture outfits.
For her 2018 wedding day, Meghan was dressed by the house of Givenchy, and for the queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022 she opted for a bespoke Christian Dior ensemble. This made-to-measure approach to dressing is one of the keys to her success, Holder said.
"She's beautiful," Holder continued. "She's very slender, but she has got a slightly tricky body shape. She's got a very short torso, which means that sometimes outfits don't sit right on her. So everything needs to be bespoke, Everything needs to be absolutely made-to-measure in order for her to look her best, and she looks great in sort of column dresses, monochrome, on-pieces. I think [they] look particularly good on her."
Whatever direction the duchess decides to take her style, Holder reiterated that it should be bold.
"Just go for it," she said. "Wear something completely different. Let's change the feel and let's take her into a new direction."
A style rebrand could move the duchess in a new direction, away from the negativity that has surrounded her recent media releases, which resulted in an onslaught of online spoofing. She also received support from fans around the world.
Despite that support, the duchess saw her net approval rating on both sides of the Atlantic plummet. This past December, before the Harry & Meghan series came out on Netflix and the publication of Prince Harry's Spare memoir, Meghan's approval rating in the U.S. was +23 percent. By February, it had sunk to -17.
Meghan has yet to attend any public events this year, having made her TED Talk appearance via video link. The duchess made headlines in Britain this month when she did not attend King Charles' coronation, deciding instead to stay in California with her two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, while Harry went alone.
Meghan is expected to be present at the Women of Vision Awards ceremony on May 16 in New York. The Gracie Awards ceremony, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, will take place May 23 in Los Angeles.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
