Meghan Markle sent a "deliberate" and powerful message during her return to public engagements in the UK alongside Prince Harry, according to a jewellery expert. The Duchess of Sussex stepped out on Thursday in a burgundy ensemble, but fashion experts noticed the absence of statement jewellery.
Expert analyses Meghan's jewellery choice
Nilesh Rakholia, founder of Abelini, said Meghan's decision to keep her neckline clear and her ears almost completely bare was no oversight. "The first thing I noticed was how little jewellery she's wearing," Mr Rakholia noted. "For such a significant return to public life in Britain, you'd expect a statement necklace or a pair of diamond earrings. She's gone the opposite way, and it looks very deliberate."
By pulling her hair back, any sizeable earrings would have been the focal point of her look. Instead, Meghan "resisted the urge" to rely on heavy diamonds, allowing her tailoring and silhouette to do the talking.
Confidence in minimalism
"I think that's a confident way to wear jewellery," the expert explained. "When an occasion is going to be this closely watched, the temptation is to add something special. Meghan has done the reverse and let the burgundy, the tailoring and the silhouette do the work."
Her chic turtleneck also played a crucial role in the statement. Mr Rakholia pointed out that a high neckline creates a "strong, clean line," and that adding a necklace would only have interrupted it. "Leave the neck bare, keep the face uncluttered, and nothing competes," he added. "To me, this shows that what you choose not to wear can say as much as what you do. The look feels considered because she's resisted the urge to add more."
British designers and royal label row
Meghan's wardrobe also featured a "nod" to her host country, championing British designers including Joseph, The Fold London, and Jennifer Chamandi.
It comes as new reports claimed Harry and Meghan are allegedly furious over a "lazy" royal phrase used to describe them. The couple reportedly "hate" the label "working members of the Royal Family", which is traditionally used to distinguish those who carry out official duties for the Crown from those who do not. A friend of theirs told The Sunday Times: "Working members of the Royal Family' is a really lazy phrase. He hates it, she hates it." The source added: "They are not 'working' for the institution, but they are members of the Royal Family, and they work. Their days are built around their family life and their work. She's running a business seven days a week."
