The Real Reason Meghan Markle Stopped Wearing These Items Since Becoming A Royal

"This may be one of Meghan Markle's best looks yet!" reported HuffPost in 2015. The publication was referring to the then-actress' white pencil skirt with matching crop top by the Canadian label Mackage. The set was also "layered under a totally badass white leather moto jacket." At that time, crop tops had become a bit of a staple in Meghan's wardrobe. However, since becoming royalty, you certainly haven't seen Meghan — let alone any other member of the royal family — hopping aboard this crop trop trend. This really just boils down to the conservative nature of British royalty.

In fact, one time that the public got a glimpse of a royal family member's bare midriff, it was something of a scandal. So, what happened? According to American Photo: Secrets of the Paparazzi, photographer Bernard Wis actually got suited up in scuba gear and get a shot of Princess Diana wearing her bathing suit on vacation in the Bahamas.

When Harry and Meghan made their first public appearance together at the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada in 2017 (via Vanity Fair), people were no doubt excited about the prospect of having a newbie welcomed into the royal family. Unfortunately for Meghan, though, this is also when the criticism of her wardrobe took root.

Harry's then-girlfriend showed up to the event wearing a pair of casual ripped jeans and, well, people were flabbergasted. "I'm thinking that you shouldn't be wearing ripped jeans while out walking in public with a Prince," one person tweeted. Vanity Fair writer Josh Duboff was also surprised to see Meghan sporting such relaxed attire. "Kate Middleton has not only never worn ripped jeans, she doesn't understand the question," he pointed out in an article.

Jeans — even ripped ones — are not necessarily a no-no for royalty, but it does depend on the situation. "Many places will not allow jeans as they are still seen as very casual wear, so it is better to play safe for both sexes," etiquette expert Diana Mather told BBC News. While you will spot Meghan wearing denim occasionally, she follows this situational rule of playing it safe.

Meghan didn't always wear the monochromatic palette you're so familiar with today. Prior to her wedding day in May 2018, Meghan had worn a rainbow of colors (via W magazine). Back in 2012, she rocked the ever-popular color blocking trend with a mix of black, blue, and bright pink. In the years since, she also sported teal, royal blue, deep red, magenta, glittering silver, and more. However, Meghan made the decision to tone down her wardrobe upon becoming a duchess. And, because no fashion choice Meghan makes can go unquestioned, some started criticizing her new muted ensembles. Queen Elizabeth II is known for her seriously bright wardrobe — we're talking shamrock green and canary yellow, people — so we can understand why Meghan's choice to go neutral would be perplexing. But this wardrobe change was no accident.

"Meghan's mission from the beginning was to create a functional work uniform," a royal insider told Elle. "Looks that weren't overpowering that wouldn't take away from the work itself. When there was criticism of Meghan in black and muted colors, it was intentional so her style didn't become the story and distract from her charity work."

As much as people may love to rag on Meghan's style, pretty much anything she wears is guaranteed to sell like hotcakes. "On average, if Meghan wears a designer, that brand will see a 200 per cent increase in search demand over the following week," Yasmine Bachir, senior communications executive and royal expert at Lyst, told Elle. At times, the items worn by Meghan have increased sales by 300 percent and, in the case of her Castañer espadrilles, a whopping 442 percent. Meghan has such an influence on consumerism that this phenomenon has rightfully been dubbed "the Meghan effect."

While people are always going to clamor to find out the brands of Meghan's — and the rest of the royal family's — apparel and accessories, you won't see the royals sporting any overly obvious brand or company logos on their clothes. This is something Meghan was able to get away with in the past, of course, but, since becoming a duchess, it's a hard no. According to the royal family's official site, the family does not accept any items that "would, or might appear to, place the Member of The Royal Family under any obligation to the donor."

While on the Australian leg of a royal tour with Prince Harry, Meghan donned an airy, sleeveless linen dress. In doing so, you could argue that she broke all sorts of royal fashion rules. Etiquette expert Alexandra Messervy told InStyle that royals "don't usually wear sleeveless dresses." She also told the publication that the royals choose their fabrics carefully, often opting for stronger materials. "Perhaps a silk and wool mix rather than too much linen content — all things to note for durability but also to stop unsightly creasing," the expert explained. But it's important to note that these rules only apply to most situations. While some may have thought the outfit was inappropriate for royalty, Meghan was on vacation. And, you know, pregnant. 

However, it is true that Meghan no longer wears linen with the same frequency that she once had. It's also likely that you won't see her donning this style at any formal official engagements in the future.

Back when Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were dating, the actress' staple handbag was the ever-functional crossbody. After the couple got engaged and started performing official royal engagements together, Meghan stayed true to her over-the-shoulder style bag. It wasn't until Meghan became a duchess that she traded in the crossbody for a clutch. And this wasn't a coincidence. 

"I suspect that when Meghan was an actress and not a member of royalty, she kept money, make-up, and the kitchen sink in her cross-body bags — as we all do," royal expert Penny Junor told Harper's Bazaar. "Now that she is a duchess, she doesn't need anything more useful than lipstick, and possibly her phone."

Royal women have also been known to use clutches to avoid awkward encounters. Etiquette expert Myka Meier told Good Housekeeping that Kate Middleton holds her clutch with both hands when she wants to avoid shaking hands with someone. As great as the crossbody may be, hands-free bags just do not come with this cool perk.