In Meghan Markle's years as a working member of the royal family she undertook a collection of overseas tours promoting British and international causes with Prince Harry.
Tours are typically undertaken by senior members of the royal family and are approved and assigned by the British government. Between their royal wedding in May 2018 and split from the monarchy in January 2020, Meghan and Harry officially visited a number of South Pacific nations as well as Ireland, Morocco and South Africa.
A highlight of any tour is the opportunity for royal watchers and fashion fans to see the wardrobes compiled by the female members of the family.
Meghan attracted increased attention in the months after her marriage for her fashion choices, combining British designers with a number of Parisian couture houses and independent global brands.
Here, Newsweek looks at a collection of Meghan Markle's top royal tour fashion moments, from Dublin to Johannesburg.
First Royal Tour Reception
For her first royal tour reception during a surprise visit to the Republic of Ireland in July 2018, Meghan wore an elegant black cocktail dress designed by Emilia Wickstead.
Wickstead made several outfits for Meghan's working royal wardrobe, including the emerald green look worn for her final official engagement in 2020.
For the Ireland reception, Meghan paired the classically cut dress with flared skirt with a pair of black "bow tie" high heeled pumps by Florentine shoe brand, Aquazzura.
Fijian Blue Diplomatic Dressing
The duchess displayed her flare and understanding for the unwritten fashion rules applied to members of the royal family on official tours when she debuted a caped blue evening gown at an official reception in Fiji.
The visit to the island in the South Pacific was made as part of a wider tour to Tonga and Australia and took place while Meghan was expecting her first child.
The duchess paid homage to her host nation with her choice of a Fijian blue Safiyaa evening dress, paired with diamond jewelry and a modern slicked-back hairstyle.
Graphic Design in Sydney
During a stop in Sydney, Australia, as part of the South Pacific tour, Meghan and Harry presented honors at the annual Australian Geographic Society Awards.
For the evening event, Meghan debuted a graphic cocktail dress of layered monochrome tulle with cutout bird motifs designed by the house of Oscar de la Renta.
Meghan paired the look with her favorite Aquazzura "bow tie" style heels which are also a style owned by sister-in-law, Kate, the Princess of Wales.
Little Black Dress in New Zealand
During their 16-day tour Meghan and Harry were met by then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Wellington where the couple undertook a number of engagements, including a reception marking the 125th anniversary of women's suffrage.
Meghan delivered a speech at the reception which was held at Government House in Wellington, wearing a classic little black dress designed by Gabriela Hearst which highlighted the small red remembrance poppy pin which was also worn on the evening.
Haute Couture Duchess in Morocco
Meghan looked to one of her favorite high fashion labels when it came time to plan her wardrobe for an official visit to Morocco while pregnant with Prince Archie in 2019.
The duchess debuted a flowing wrapped kaftan style dress in gold silk for a reception held at the British ambassadorial residence during her stay.
The dress and golden accessories were all designed by the Paris fashion house of Christian Dior. Meghan has worn a number of their designs since her marriage, notably a white trench coat dress debuted at the Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service for Queen Elizabeth II in London in 2022.
High Fashion Maternity Wear in Rabat
On the second evening of her stay in Morocco, Meghan and Prince Harry attended a meeting with King Mohammed VI in Rabat at his official residence.
For the meeting with the king, the duchess opted for a long flowing printed gown from another of her favorite designers, the U.S.-based Carolina Herrera.
Baby's First Tour in South Africa
Meghan and Harry's last official overseas tour as working members of the royal family was to South Africa in September 2019, taking with them for the first time their 4-month-old son, Prince Archie.
At the end of the visit, the Sussex family met Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Johannesburg where Archie made his first official public appearance since the photocall made shortly after his birth.
For the occasion, Meghan opted for a graphic printed day dress from Canadian fashion house, Club Monaco, and simply styled the look with a slicked-back hairstyle and black high-heeled pumps.
Simple South African Shirt Dress
In the closing stage of the South Africa tour, Meghan and Harry visited the Youth Employment Service (YES), where they met with young people and discussed the work of the organization in providing employment skills and opportunities.
For the engagement, Meghan wore a classic all-white shirt dress from Cape Town-based designer, Hannah Lavery.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly 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.
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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
