Meghan Markle and Prince Harry join royals at garden party in first appearance as married couple
MEGHAN Markle may have already adopted a more “regal” look since marrying Prince Harry (goodbye bare legs and messy buns), but fans are still clambering to copy her style.
Royals
Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News.
HER style may have already adopted a more “regal” and polished edge (goodbye bare legs and messy buns) but the “Meghan effect” shows no sign of slowing down with the new Duchess of Sussex’s sartorial choices continuing to crash websites and inspire copycat looks.
Stepping out at her first official event as part of the royal family, Meghan opted for a peach dress by British fashion label Goat, along with a Philip Treacy custom hat and nude heels.
The brand’s website crashed just minutes after her appearance at Prince Charles’ 70th birthday celebrations at Buckingham Palace as fans tried desperately to get their hands on the Flavia Silk-Crepe Pencil Dress.
PHOTOS: Meghan and Harry’s gorgeous moments
READ: James Corden’s royal stuff-up
MORE: Samantha tears into Meghan again
REVEALED: Guests cash in on royal goodie bags
A spokesman for Goat — which is also a favourite label of Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge — took to Twitter to apologise for the technical difficulties.
“Our website is currently down due to a high volume of traffic,” it read. “We sincerely apologise and hope to rectify this as soon as we can.”
According to Twitter account What Meghan Wore, Goat confirmed that a custom version of the 590-pound ($A1048) dress was created for the duchess.
Meanwhile, since the history-making wedding on Saturday, imitations of Meghan’s wedding and reception dresses have also already become available.
As both dresses were designed especially for the bride by Clare Waight Keller from Givenchy and Stella McCartney, they haven’t been flying off shelves, however replicas of the two dresses can been found online.
New York designer Justin Alexander has a similar style wedding dress in his Fall 2017 collection, while a bargain version can be found at Misguided for just $70.
Those coveting the bride’s reception dress can also find a similar, but much more affordable gown on Boohoo.com, however it is not available in white on the Australian version of the site.
Before she tied the knot to Prince Harry, Meghan’s style was already causing a frenzy among fans.
Struggling Aussie company Oroton received a surge in business after she wore its $295 Avalon crossbody bag to the Commonwealth Youth Forum in April.
The bag sold out in mere hours and did wonders for the luxury fashion accessories brand that had recently fallen into voluntary administration.
“Whatever she wears sells out and she often makes a habit of wearing smaller labels and giving them huge global exposure,” Emily Andrews the royal correspondent for The Sun told News Corp at the time.
Other companies to also benefit from her star power so far include Canadian labels Mackage and Line, Scottish brand Strathberry, designer Jason Wu and Italian label P.A.R.O.S.H.
MEGHAN GETS THE GIGGLES AT FIRST EVENT
Prince Harry and his new wife Meghan have attended Prince Charles’ 70th birthday party as their first official royal event as a married couple.
But the new Duchess of Sussex nearly lost her royal poise after a bee threatened to steal the show as her new husband gave a speech in honour of his father.
More than 6000 charity workers were invited for the party where they were treated to a speech from Harry, musical performances and a customary cup of tea.
The event was held in advance of Prince Charles’ actual birthday, which is in November.
Meghan and Harry had delayed their honeymoon so they could attend the event.
The pair looked like they were enjoying their first week as husband and wife, with Meghan touching Harry’s back as they walked up the stairs of Buckingham Palace.
Hundreds of royal fans had lined the streets surrounding the palace in an attempt to get a glimpse of the newlyweds.
Prince Harry was wearing a traditional morning suit with a yellow waistcoat and blue tie.
He gave a speech where he paid tribute to his father’s charity work and his “selfless drive to affect change”.
“His enthusiasm and energy are truly infectious; it has certainly inspired William and I to get involved in issues we care passionately about and to do whatever we can to make a difference. In fact, many of the issues William and I now work on are subjects we were introduced to by our father growing up,” Harry said.
“So, Pa, while I know that you’ve asked that today not be about you, you must forgive me if I don’t listen to you — much like when I was younger — and instead, I ask everyone here to say a huge thank you to you, for your incredible work over nearly 50 years.”
But Prince Harry was slightly put off as he gave his speech — having to stop to swipe away a bee, reports The Sun.
He left his new wife giggling as he tried to bat the insect away, saying: “Sorry, that bee really got me.”
The Prince also asked the audience to take a minute to remember the one year anniversary of the Manchester terrorist attack.
Harry said his brother William would have been at their father’s party were he not attending a tribute service in Manchester.
Earlier, Meghan and Harry returned to their home at Kensington Palace as they prepared for their new life as working royals.
The pair were seen driving back to their home at Nottingham Cottage, a small house in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London.
They have lived there for more than a year, and it’s where Prince Harry proposed to the American actress over a chicken dinner.
The pair were in casual clothes and wearing sunglasses as Harry drove their Range Rover through the London traffic back to their home — and back to work.
MORE: Meghan’s eccentric bishop responds
MORE: The touching story behind Beckham’s photo
MORE: Royal couple sparkle in official photos
They are also expected to make a high-profile appearance next month on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the annual Trooping the Colour parade on June 9.
The annual event, held in June to commemorate the Queen’s birthday (which is actually in April), the spectacular military parade concludes with the most senior royals appearing on the balcony to greet the crowds outside Buckingham Palace.
MORE: The cute twins who stole the show
THE PARTY: Celebs turn on glamour at evening bash
THE DRESS: All you need to know about Meghan’s wedding dress
MORE: Meghan’s dad lashes out at relatives
Girlfriends and fiancees are not invited, but wives are, so Meghan, the new Duchess of Sussex, will join the Queen, husband Prince Philip, Prince Charles and wife Camilla, Prince William and wife Catherine and their three children, on the balcony this year for the RAF flyover which ends the parade.
There are unconfirmed reports the Queen, who has ultimate say over who is invited on to the balcony, may exclude minor royals such as Prince Andrew’s daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, as she reiterates the primacy of those in more direct line to the throne (Charles, William and George).
However, Prince Harry has been on the balcony in other years and is sure to be there this year with his new bride.
After a 48-hour ceasefire over the wedding weekend, Meghan’s estranged sister began sniping at her again from America, urging her to “do the right thing’’ and fly her father to London to fulfil a lifelong dream, to visit Buckingham Palace.
Samantha Grant also urged her sister, who she has not seen for 10 years, to reunite the family.
Meghan’s father Thomas Markle was photographed yesterday returning to his home in Rosarito, in Mexico, after spending a few days in hospital recovering from a minor heart procedure.
He pulled out of the wedding with less than a week’s notice after being caught collaborating with the paparazzi, and suffering a heart scare.
He had urged Ms Grant and his other children from his first marriage, Thomas Markle Junior, to “just shut up about everything’’ but his words were clearly ignored by Ms Grant.
Originally published as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry join royals at garden party in first appearance as married couple
Comedian’s brutal dig at Harry and Meghan
John Mulaney didn’t let his hosting gig at a Netflix event stop him from dragging Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s failed projects for the streamer.
Adorable moment Kate plays with brave kids
Catherine, Princess of Wales, has made a “vibrant” visit to the children’s hospice that was set up by the late Princess Diana. See the photos.