The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has made a striking fashion statement during her current tour of Australia with Prince Harry, directly challenging the traditional royal dress code she once criticized. On a sunny day in Melbourne, the 44-year-old former actress wore semi-sheer black tights beneath a khaki A-line dress, a choice that contradicts her previous public complaints about mandatory "pantyhose" for official royal engagements.
Defying Royal Protocol with Fashion Choices
During her visit to Swinburne University of Technology, Meghan selected a £286 "Anya" dress from Australian designer label Friends with Frank, accessorized with £50 Wolford tights and Manolo Blahnik pumps. This ensemble appeared on her new AI-powered storefront on the OneOff website almost immediately after being photographed, allowing fans to purchase the complete look for thousands of dollars.
This fashion decision comes despite Meghan's previous statements about royal fashion expectations. In an August interview with Bloomberg's Emily Chang, the Duchess expressed that wearing sheer tights "felt a little bit inauthentic" and claimed she "hadn't seen pantyhose since movies in the 80s." She elaborated during promotion of her Netflix series "With Love, Meghan," stating: "It was different several years ago, when I couldn't be as vocal and I had to wear nude pantyhose all the time! Let's be honest, that was not very myself."
Contradictory Fashion History
Interestingly, Meghan was photographed multiple times with bare legs during her time as a working royal in the United Kingdom, including in her official engagement photograph with Prince Harry released in 2017. This contrast highlights the complex relationship between her personal style preferences and royal fashion protocols.
The Melbourne university visit formed part of a four-day quasi-royal tour across Australia, blending charity work with business engagements. During the Swinburne University appearance, both Harry and Meghan addressed students about social media's dangers and mental health impacts, with the Duchess revealing her personal experience with online bullying.
"For now, ten years, every day for ten years, I have been bullied and attacked," Meghan shared emotionally. "And I was the most trolled person in the entire world. I'm still here."
Prince Harry's Emotional Revelations
Prince Harry also made significant personal disclosures during their Australian tour. Speaking at the $1,000-per-person InterEdge Summit in Melbourne Park, the Duke confessed he never wanted to be a working royal because he believed the role "killed" his mother, Princess Diana.
"After my mum died just before my 13th birthday I was like: 'I don't want this job. I don't want this role wherever this is headed, I don't like it,'" Harry revealed. "It killed my mum, and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years."
The Duke explained that his perspective changed when he considered what his mother would have wanted and how he could use his platform to make a positive difference in the world.
Fashion Meets Commerce on Tour
Meghan's Australian tour has become closely intertwined with her commercial fashion ventures. Soon after arriving in Melbourne from Los Angeles, it was announced that she had become an investor and participant in OneOff, an AI-powered fashion discovery website based in Los Angeles.
The platform features real-time uploads of all Meghan's tour outfits, including the $1,250 "Priscilla" dress from local designer Karen Gee worn during a Royal Children's Hospital visit and the $1,000 St Agni suede jacket seen at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum. Her personal page on the site joins those of celebrities including Kate Hudson, Emma Roberts, and Suki Waterhouse.
For their initial Melbourne engagement at the Scar Tree Walk honoring Aboriginal culture, the Sussexes opted for casual attire. Meghan wore a $40 "Mama" t-shirt designed by her best friend Kelly Zajfen, now available alongside $169 jeans, a $599 trench coat, and $298 trainers on her OneOff page.
MasterChef Australia Appearance Sparks Debate
Adding to her Australian engagements, Channel 10 announced that Meghan will make a special guest appearance on the new season of MasterChef Australia. The network shared an image of the Duchess smiling alongside judges Jean-Christophe Novelli, Poh Ling Yeow, and Sofia Levin, with footage showing Poh introducing Meghan to this year's contestants.
Public reaction to this announcement has been sharply divided. Some viewers expressed disappointment, with one commenting: "There goes the show's credibility right down the drain," while another questioned: "We're paying so much money for her to be here, while some families don't even have food on the table."
However, other fans welcomed the news enthusiastically. "The wonderful Meghan! A royal treat," one supporter wrote, while another noted: "Very nice. Cooking and presentation were her interest before meeting Harry - she had a blog. Her preparations have been lovely."
The couple's Australian tour continues without their children, Archie and Lilibet, who remain at their California home. Today marks their final day in Melbourne before traveling to Sydney, where Meghan is scheduled to headline a £1,400-per-person "girls' weekend" retreat organized by Her Best Life.
