Meghan Markle shared some marriage advice after bumping into the father of a bride-to-be in Australia earlier this month. The Duchess of Sussex, 44, was visiting Sydney's Bondi Beach as part of her and Prince Harry's four-day quasi-royal tour, when they met local surf club members who assisted during the terror attack last December.
Encounter at Bondi Beach
They were also introduced to Steve Barnach, the president of the Bondi and North Bondi lifesaving club, who had a special request for the Duchess. Steve asked Meghan to record a short video message for his daughter Ellie on her wedding day that was later posted online. Meghan began by congratulating nutritionist Ellie and her then-fiance James, before giving the couple some relationship guidance.
Meghan's Words of Wisdom
The Duchess, who married Prince Harry almost eight years ago, said: 'Enjoy the wedding, but it's more about the marriage. Have a wonderful, beautiful marriage and a lifetime of love. Happy wedding day!' Ellie and James exchanged vows during a gorgeous outdoor ceremony on April 19, the final day of Harry and Meghan's tour Down Under.
The Duchess' video message for the Aussie bride was extensively reposted online and even made it to the morning news, as Ellie shared a clip from the Today show about it. 'Made the news, hallelujah,' she wrote.
Royal Wedding Flashback
The former Suits actress married Prince Harry at St George's Chapel in Windsor on May 19, 2018, in a televised ceremony watched by 30 million people around the world. The Duchess walked down the aisle in a £100,000 Givenchy dress designed by Clare Waight Kellet, the first woman appointed as creative director of the French fashion house. The understated dress was floor-length and featured long sleeves with a bateau neckline, reflective of Meghan's own classic personal style. Costing £100,000, it perfectly embodied her 'effortless American style,' said Waight Keller, who described the finished dress as 'not overly feminine, but not really minimal either.'
Controversy Over Outfit Monetization
While Meghan was praised for her 'sweet' video message to Ellie on X, some fans noted her outfit became one of the most controversial looks from the trip after it was uploaded to OneOff, an AI fashion discovery platform, for fans to buy. Under the terms of the partnership, Meghan is believed to earn a commission on sales ranging from anywhere between 10 and 25 per cent - but fans felt it was disrespectful to profit from the outfit she wore to meet survivors of the Bondi massacre.
Prince Harry was also featured on the OneOff page advertising his wife's 'look' before the image was replaced to a solo shot of Meghan on the Sydney beach following social media backlash. The first photo showed Meghan and Harry hand-in-hand during a meeting with first responders who helped save lives during the attack on December 14.
The post on OneOff included links to the exact £326 Matteau shirt and £700 suede bag worn by the Duchess, as a royal expert told the Daily Mail said it was the 'starkest example yet of Harry and Meghan's efforts to commercialise their brand'. Shortly after, the contentious post was quietly updated with a new photo of Meghan waving as she exited her Range Rover 4x4 earlier in the day. The mother-of-two was pictured in the same outfit but not on the beach and without Harry in shot.
OneOff Partnership Details
Billed as 'Meghan, Duchess of Sussex', her OneOff page features dozens of pictures of her, including in Australia this week, all with links to buy her outfits. OneOff is an AI-powered fashion platform and app that allows users to shop 'curated', celebrity-inspired looks. Stars who are verified, such as Meghan, can earn affiliate revenue every time a fan purchases an item. All of Meghan's outfits from the Australian tour were uploaded to the platform, described as the 'Spotify of fashion', in real time. The current revenue split on a sale is, apparently, 10 to 25 per cent from the retailer to OneOff, which is then shared with the creator.
It is not clear how much the duchess expects to make, but the firm said of its deal with Meghan: 'She cares about fashion and was motivated to invest not only to expand her portfolio, but to help uplift the fashion designers she is a fan of.' Over the course of the four-day trip, Meghan donned clothes and accessories worth £57,776, while celebrating the work of Australian brands like Karen Gee, St Agni, and Friends with Frank. Her Australia tour wardrobe also included several designer pieces, such as vintage Christian Dior pumps and an £810 trench coat from Camilla and Marc.
Post-Tour Ventures
Since returning home to Montecito, the Duchess has launched a new 'Mother's Day Edit' under her lifestyle brand As Ever - including two new £47 scented candles inspired by her children. The marketing materials for the two candles initially mentioned Archie and Lilibet's royal titles, as Meghan unveiled Signature Candle No. 506, named after her son's birthdate of May 6, and Signature Candle No. 604, an homage to Princess Lilibet's June 4 birthday. However, the product descriptions do not mention the titles any longer.
