Here's How Much Meghan Markle's New Royal Wardrobe Probably Costs
Meghan Markle, the new Duchess of Sussex, has quickly become a true power player in the royal family, in the style department and beyond. But that new wardrobe is apparently coming at a price.
Like her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, Markle’s sense of style is truly infectious. Take, for example, this weekend when Markle was spotted at a polo match wearing a Shoshanna midi-length cotton dress and sandals from Sarah Flint. Within minutes of photographs of the duchess hitting the web, both the dress and the shoes were sold out. And hopefully the duchess is getting a cut of the sales, because according to reports, that stylish wardrobe is costing the royal family $1 million.
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According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, it’s tradition for Prince Charles to foot the bill for his family’s wardrobe, especially for outfits they will be photographed in while out and about on their royal duties. And Markle is apparently taking that generosity all the way to the bank as she picks up new outfits for her many public outings.
But, Nicholl noted, the royals likely find it more than appropriate to invest in Markle’s new look as she's "an ambassador" for the family.
"Look at the publicity she has brought in run up to the wedding. I'd argue that's worth every penny," she told Entertainment Tonight.
So where did most of this $1 million go? According to Nicholl, much of it was spent on a single day: her wedding day, of course. It was then that Markle spent a reported $440,000 on her custom-made Givenchy gown. She followed that up with her second dress, a custom Stella McCartney gown, for an estimated $157,000.
Next, the Duchess was spotted just days later at a Buckingham Palace garden party wearing a sheer Goat dress, which retails for $643. A few days after that, she was photographed at the Trooping the Colour wearing a Carolina Herrera off-the-shoulder top and skirt that likely cost $4,000.
And, on her first official outing with the Queen, Markle was spotted wearing a Givenchy cape dress, which retails somewhere around $18,000. So yeah, her wardrobe is certainly starting to add up quickly. But maybe she can take Middleton’s advice and start wearing a few of her favorite pieces time and time again, because being frugal never goes out of style.