MEGHAN Markle has made it clear she has absolutely no intention to stick to royal conduct kicking off their tour with a backless dress, a fashion expert has said.
Prince Harry and Meghan are in Nigeria for a three-day ‘‘faux-Royal tour” and greeting the locals, the Duchess, 42, looked incredible with a feminine frock.
The mum-of-two had opted for a long dress from California lifestyle brand Heidi Merrick, whose design ethos is to ‘‘infuse feminine style with the tangible and the ethereal, capturing vulnerability and strength of women’’.
The gorgeous gown, which retails for an eye-watering £450, featured a flowing tiered skirt and a fitted front bodice with geometric linear cutout back detail.
Although from certain angles it looked like the dress was completely backless, once Meghan turned round fans of the duo could see it had straps that ran down the middle of her back.
According to fashion editor Amber Graafland, ”the revealing dress choice was a million miles from the carefully choreographed outfits of previous royal tours”.
For instance, the style guru said in an exclusive chat with Fabulous, the gown was ”off the peg, and not custom-made”.
”Most royal tour outfits are planned months in advance.
”Working closely with each individual designer, and in collaboration with image consultants, attention is paid to every tiny detail.”
When creating the wardrobe of the tours, there’s a great level of ”care taken to convey subtle messages that nod to the host country”.
The lengthy process, Amber explained, will involve ”monitoring” hemlines, ensuring the fabrics are ”meticulously thought through”, and ”formality” will always remain ”the order of the day”.
”However, day one of the Sussex’s tour and it’s resoundingly clear that the couple have no intention of sticking to protocol.
”Released from royal constraints Harry and Meghan are doing things their way,” Amber said, adding that things are different for Meghan’s sister-in-law.
”No longer constrained with the burden of formality that Kate faces, Meghan is free to explore and reflect her own personal style.
”Her outfit choice is just part of setting the tone for the type of public figure she wants to represent.”
The ”revealing” frock is not just a signal that Meghan’s been ”released from royal constraints” – according to Amber, the 42-year-old is also trying to establish a brand new image.
”With a newly launched lifestyle brand and an exciting new chapter of her life opening up, Meghan knows that image is everything.”
The Sussexes are set to take part in “cultural activities” during their 72-hour trip after they were invited by the West African country’s chief of defence staff.
The getaway -their first trip to Nigeria as a couple – has been labelled a “faux-royal tour”.
Harry and Meghan – who is of Nigerian descent – will meet service members and their families, as well as participate in cultural activities, according to local media.
The three-day trip could also include visiting three cities in efforts to get Nigeria to host the Invictus Games in 2029.
Air Vce Mshl Abidemi Marquis, director of sports at the Nigerian Defence Ministry, said that the Duchess wants to “explore her ancestry and lineage”.
After landing, the couple were first taken to a hotel, before heading to the Light Academy.
The Duchesses are then set to meet defence leaders and visit injured soldiers.
The Duke and Duchess are spending three days in Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games.
The Sussexes will be taken to a hotel when they first touch down today, then visit the Light Academy, a school in nearby Wuse, before meeting defence leaders and visiting injured soldiers.
Tomorrow Harry’s set to field a team during a seated volleyball match played by Nigeria’s Invictus team, before he and Meghan meet with more soldiers and their families.
That afternoon Meghan will host a Women in Leadership event with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian-American economist who is director general of the World Trade Organisation.
Then, on Sunday, the Sussexes will head along to a basketball clinic that promotes youth getting into the sport, enjoy a cultural reception and visit a polo fundraiser.
On tomorrow’s programme, Harry, 39, is expected to field his own team during a seated volleyball match played by Nigeria’s Invictus team, before the duo will set off to meet with more soldiers and their families.
Meanwhile, Meghan will host a Women in Leadership event with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian-American economist and the director general of the World Trade Organisation.
When Sunday arrives, the two Sussexes will head along to a basketball clinic that promotes youth getting into the sport, as well as enjoy a cultural reception and visit a polo fundraiser.
