Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has made a lot of ink spill since her name popped up in association with the Royal Family. Very quickly, questionable (racist) headlines appeared. They were so bad that Prince Harry had to release a statement.
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As time went by, Meghan Markle continued to gain attention and made headlines with more positive things. And then things escalated and led to Prince Harry and his wife making the decision to step down from their role as senior members of the Royal Family.
Since then, not a day goes by that the Sussexes aren’t brought up in the British press even though the couple moved across the Atlantic at the end of 2019. Recently they were accused of being behind Omid Scobie’s new book.
Meghan Markle’s nod to King Charles
On 5 December 2023, tabloids reported that the Duchess was seen out and about wearing very significant accessories: Princess Diana’s Cartier watch and a diamond tennis bracelet gifted by King Charles.
Daily Mail writes that the bracelet was ‘first worn on the eve of her wedding to Prince Harry’. The bracelet is simple and features 92 ‘round brilliant-cut diamonds’. The fact that the bracelet was seen on Meghan is significant when you consider the fact that prior to that it hadn’t been spotted since May 2023 and before that 2022.
Many tabloids are reporting it as a nod to the Royal Family amid a raging ‘racial row’ started by Omid Scobie’s book which the Sussexes are claiming to have nothing to do with.
Royals are known to communicate through their clothes
The idea that Meghan Markle is sending a peace offering to the senior royals is not completely unfounded. Indeed, the Royal Family are pros at using clothes and accessories to communicate.
Meghan Markle herself admitted to using clothes as a power tool while she was a working royal. In the couple’s Netflix documentary she talked about how she favoured neutral colours in order not to stand out next to other members of the family.
So I was like, ‘Well, what’s a colour that they’ll probably never wear? Camel? Beige? White?’ So I wore a lot of muted tones, but it was also so I could just blend in
Moreover, decades later we all remember Princess Diana’s ‘revenge dress’ which she wore after then Prince Charles confessed to having an affair with Camilla. In current days, royals' clothes are still scrutinised because of that fact: there is often a silent statement being made.
Whether it’s Princess Catherine wearing more suits since becoming the Princess of Wales or the Duchess of Sussex wearing a diamond bracelet, clothes and accessories are rarely a game of chance. After all, the most valuable thing a royal can have is their image… that leaves no room for improvisation.
Read more:
⋙ Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stripped of their titles: Who is Bob Seely, the MP asking for this?
⋙ Prince Harry and Meghan villainized once again by former royal staff in bombshell claim
Sources:
Daily Mail: Meghan wears bracelet gifted by King Charles on first outing since 'royal racists' were named in The Netherlands - sparking speculation she's 'using her jewellery to send subtle messages'
Independent: From Meghan Markle to Princess Diana: How women of the royal family use clothes to send a message