Meghan Markle recently joked about renewing her wedding vows with Prince Harry in a far less formal manner than their 2018 royal ceremony, during a lighthearted interview with popular YouTubers Sean Skeels and Marley Whatarau. The Duchess of Sussex was presented with a pair of men's swimming briefs, to which she quipped, 'that's going to be for my husband.'
An Unconventional Gift
Thanking the internet chefs for the 'Aussie bum' budgie smugglers, Meghan continued: 'We might renew our vows with him wearing these.' Harry and Meghan, who stepped down as senior royals and relocated to the United States in 2020, originally exchanged vows during a televised ceremony at St George's Chapel in Windsor eight years ago.
Meeting 'Australian Royalty'
The mother-of-two met Sean and Marley, whose YouTube cooking show boasts over a million subscribers, during the Sussexes' four-day quasi-royal tour of Australia last month. In a new video posted on their channel, the friends revealed that the Duchess reached out to them last year after they recreated the one-pan spaghetti recipe from her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan.
She sent the pair a handwritten note and a care package of jam and other products from her lifestyle brand, As Ever, before the group finally met during Meghan and Harry's visit to Sydney in April. Fans declared they 'love this trio' after Sean and Marley posted a snippet from their new YouTube video on Instagram. 'Good to see Meghan meeting Australian royalty,' one comment read.
A Curated Collection of Gifts
Meghan Markle received eight quintessentially Australian gifts, including the 'Aussie Bum' swimming briefs, from the YouTubers. Sean and Marley, who both have Down Syndrome, also gifted Meghan stuffed toys from the hit Australian cartoon Bluey, as she revealed her children, Archie and Lilibet, 'love' the show. Meghan then tried her hand at an Australian accent when she recited one of the show's most famous dialogues, saying: 'Gonna go take a nap-nap, love!'
Other presents included a can of Tooheys beer, which Meghan gamely sipped on as she remarked: 'Shall I try it? It's not cold, but it's probably still good.' She also brought up Prince Harry again when Marley suggested drinking a couple of cans of the lager while watching TV, as Meghan said: 'You've created a whole date night for us!'
Social Media Reaction
Sean and Marley, who are lifelong friends, later posted a photo posing with Meghan on Instagram and captioned it: 'We gave her eight special gifts that represent Australian life and she loved them all!' The thoughtfully curated collection included National Rugby League jerseys for Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, as well as chicken salt and mint-flavoured candies. Meghan told them that Minties are her mother Doria Ragland's 'favourite'.
It appears the video was filmed on the same day that Meghan addressed the £1,400-per-head Her Best Life retreat, as she was wearing the same outfit. Meghan opted for a cashmere tank from Australian brand Scanlan & Theodore that she paired with beige trousers and nude heels for both her appearances in Sydney.
Meghan on Fashion and Partnerships
It comes after Meghan explained the reasoning behind her controversial decision to partner with a global fashion marketplace, where she is paid a percentage from sales, suggesting it is about the 'correct designer' being credited. In a new interview with The Australian Women's Weekly following her quasi-royal tour of Down Under, Meghan told how 'fashion is one of the most powerful industries.'
She added: 'Even if you don’t say a word, you can convey something in what you wear. Over the last several years, I would hear about an incorrect designer getting credit for something I wore, either via affiliate links or press, and that never seemed fair. Credit where credit is due. These brands and designers work so hard and take great pride in their work, and I choose them for a reason. Either supporting a friend, being brand loyal... So it’s always been important to me that the correct designer is credited.'
Following Meghan's remarks, the publication explained how the Duchess has partnered with the OneOff website - described as the 'Spotify of fashion' - where Prince Harry's wife will take a percentage of any sales. All Meghan's ensembles from her four-day tour were uploaded to the site, of which she became a participant and investor in, including the outfit she wore when she met survivors of the Bondi terror attack.
The Duchess was criticised after her $2,000 (£1,478) 'look' when she met survivors of the massacre was first posted on the website. The Daily Mail revealed how shortly after she hugged witnesses to the tragedy, the clothes she wore to the Sydney beach where 15 people died were immediately posted on the fashion platform. But the original contentious OneOff page inviting fans of Meghan's fashion to buy her expensive Bondi ensemble was then quietly deleted. It was replaced with a picture of the Duchess waving as she left her luxury Range Rover 4x4 earlier in the day, in the same outfit but not on the beach and without Harry in shot.
