Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in the Netherlands for the Invictus Games. Photo / Getty Images
Opinion:
As far as subtle signals went, it was a pretty blunt one.
When Meghan Markle, Suits star, Toronto resident and bona fide royal girlfriend made her public debut with her titled other half Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games, she turned up wearing a crisp white shirt, the exact style of which was called "The Husband" shirt.
The writing was on the wall. It was glaringly apparent that it was time to air out a royal chapel, dust off the Archbishop of Canterbury and dig out the key to the tiara vault because a Windsor wedding was in the offing. (Did the Queen have hopes of training a corgi to be a ring bearer? I couldn't begin to comment.)
Over the past few days, I've thought a lot about that shirt. Meghan's entire ensemble in 2017, as she happily watched a wheelchair tennis match with Harry, was absolute and utter perfection. It was sophisticated, chic and deliciously understated.
It was also relatively affordable. That shirt was AU$250 ($274) and in fact the entire look, including shoes and a very smart leather bag, would set a shopper back $1472.
The contrast between her first Invictus appearance and her turn at this weekend's Invictus Games in The Hague could not be more stark.
Over the course of three days, the now Duchess of Sussex wore at least $69,000 worth of new clothes and jewellery, including one outfit that cost an estimated $19,035 not including jewellery.
The word that comes to mind here for me is simply, "yuck". There's conspicuous consumption and there is this retail orgy that would make even the blackest of black American Express cards creak and buckle.
Imelda Marcos, take a seat.
Sure, Meghan is a titled member of the British royal family and one half of a deal-making duo who is reported to be set to pull in more than $200 million in coming years thanks largely to Netflix and Spotify. All of which means, if she wants to stroll about the place in designer duds that cost about the same as a small car, that is entirely her prerogative.
But we are not talking about what she might choose to wear to visit the family's artfully rustic chicken coop or while she ideates changemaking synergistic pathways with Team Sussex's retinue of high-profile hires.
The Invictus Games are for wounded, injured and sick armed forces personnel who are either still serving or who are veterans.
Last year, the Mirror in the UK reported: "Thousands of veterans are struggling to get government payouts for injuries caused in service, with some facing poverty and suicide over the issue."
In December last year SSAFA, the British Armed Forces charity, launched a campaign to raise awareness about the "alarming and increasing number within the armed forces community [who] are experiencing financial hardship and food poverty".
And yet on Friday, to attend a welcome event at the US Embassy in The Hague, the Duchess strolled in wearing a $7211 white Valentino suit with a matching $4626 Valentino bag. She had also brought with her a stunning camel coat, which she lent to a competitor to keep her baby warm (I know, really lovely right?) and which has been reported to be a Ralph Lauren number which would set one back $7198.
That's a $19,035 look if you are playing along at home, which is more than half of the estimated $36,775 pension a retired British private would receive annually.
On day two of the Games, the 40-year-old busted out three looks.
For a reception at the British embassy to welcome the UK's team, Meghan wore that same pricey Ralph Lauren coat with a matching camel skivvy, trousers and handbag.
After a two year delay, the @InvictusGamesNL are finally here!!
— UK in NL🇬🇧🇳🇱 (@ukinnl) April 16, 2022
Earlier today, Ambassador @JoannaRoperFCDO hosted a welcome reception for #TeamUK🇬🇧 to wish then good luck ahead of the Games@HelpforHeroes #IG22 pic.twitter.com/cwGuL7OCq1
Some Meghan fashion watchers (yes they exist and yes some of them even do it for a living – what a time to be alive) have suggested her pants were also Ralph Lauren costing $1346 and that her bag was a Carolina Herrera number worth $2040.
But who only wears one look per day? She then switched things up for a $5916 Celine jacket, a $3810 bag also from the French brand along with $476 jeans and sunglasses from the uber cool brand Linda Farrow, which sell for $1441.
Come night-time and, you guessed it, outfit change! For the Games' official opening ceremony the mum-of-two donned a Khaite bodysuit ($1061), black pants of unknown provenance, $1217 Manolo Blahnik heels and a $20,682 gold Cartier necklace.
For her third day, she again wore three get-ups, including jeans and a Brandon Maxwell jacket costing $2986, an $884 blazer and a blue shirt, and then finally a $8164 Valentino dress.
Anyone else a bit dizzy? Anyone else feel a bit queasy at just so much money being so blatantly thrown around?
(That said, while strict rules dictate that working members of the royal family can't accept freebies, these days Meghan could, if she so chose, grab all the spon-con she fancied.)
The thing I want to know is, what is Meghan trying to prove?
We know she's wealthy, innately stylish and could have every fashion house in the world on the phone in a trice, salivating at the chance to create pieces especially for her.
But why turn an event meant to be about celebrating the strength and the spirit of men and women who have given so much for their countries into a one-woman catwalk?
(What is also interesting is that if you take a look at most of the photos from the three days that the Duchess of Sussex was at the Games, while she was wandering about in what looked like half of Harvey Nichols' stock, the rest of the attendees were nearly uniformly in jeans, T-shirts or tracksuits.)
Meghan already has an incredible – and enormous – wardrobe. How powerful and savvy would it have been for her to re-wear and combine pieces? It would have only strengthened her style credentials and it would have ensured that the focus stayed relentlessly on the athletes and the Games.
Is it any coincidence that a reported crew of 30 from Netflix is capturing every one of the Sussexes' hugs, smiles and touching moments?
This trip bears a strong resemblance to the Duke and Duchess' New York dash in September last year when Meghan wore one eye-wateringly costly get-up after another. The Daily Mail, at the time, claimed that TV cameras were following the duo then too as they rolled around the city in a fleet of big black SUVs having Very Important Meetings.
Sigh. I miss Husband Shirt Meghan. I miss the woman who so sublimely and effortlessly showed the world that truly great style did not require spending a veritable fortune. I miss the woman who had the confidence to start her royal life by turning up wearing ripped jeans.
In 2023, the Invictus Games will be held in Germany. I'm still holding out hope that Husband Shirt Meghan may yet make a comeback. Either that, or they might need a pay rise from Netflix.
Daniela Elser is a royal expert and a writer with more than 15 years experience working with a number of Australia's leading media titles.
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