From the white coats to the engagement dress, this is who pays for Meghan’s wardrobe

FROM Meghan Markle’s engagement dress, to her signature white coats — it is against royal protocol for members of the family to accept free clothes, so who is paying for her wardrobe?

MEGHAN Markle has raised the fashion stakes since she got engaged to Prince Harry.

From her stunning £56,000 ($AU102,000) dress in her engagement shoot to her £45 ($AU82) Marks & Spencer black wool jumper, the future royal has an extremely enviable wardrobe, but who actually pays for it?

According to People, it is against royal protocol for members of the family to accept free clothes, so someone is footing the bill.

While her engagement announcement coat is by Canadian brand Line The Label — and cost £296 (AU$540). Picture: AFP/ Daniel Leal-Olivas.

A spokesperson for the Duchess of Cambridge told the site in 2011 that Kate Middleton “has a policy not to accept any free offers of clothing”.

Designer Katherine Hooker, whose clothes Kate has worn, told Huffington Post: “She doesn’t take free clothes, and I’ve heard that from other people who sent her things.”

Although Kate’s assistants may call in looks from designers, they will always pay for pieces worn and send back unused ones, but where does the money come from?

Meghan sparkled in a daring £56,000 (AU$102,000) braless couture dress in these engagement portraits with her fiancé Prince Harry.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, get expenses from Prince Charles’ £20 million ($AU36 million) Duchy of Cornwall income.

Last year the three are said to have spent around £3.4 million ($AU6.1 million) of that on salaries, business-related expenses and wardrobe, among other things.

The Suits star recently wore a £900 ($AU1639) white Amanda Wakeley coat at the Commonwealth Day service. Picture: MEGA.

Meghan won’t receive money from the funding until she has married Prince Harry on May 19, so she is currently funding her own looks herself.

With a net worth of £3.5 million ($AU6.37million), partly from the former actor’s salary of £35,000 ($AU64000) per episode of US legal drama Suits, she is certainly not lacking in the finance department.

According to Business Insider, the 36-year-old will receive a form of “income” after joining the royal family.

Meghan wore a chic £330 ($AU600) J. Crew coat on her visit to Birmingham. Picture: MEGA

Princes William and Harry receive a $AU590,000-a-year investment profit from their late mum’s £21.5 million ($AU40 million) estate.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished here with permission.