Here's What Queen Elizabeth Thought About Meghan's Africa Attire

It's been a rocky year in the press for Meghan Markle. In the year-and-a-half since her marriage to Prince Harry was viewed by royal watchers across the globe, the British media has repeatedly and heavily criticized the newly crowned duchess (via Harper's Bazaar). And while it's more than normal for the royal family to be under a lot of scrutiny purely because of who they are, Markle being American, divorced, and bi-racial has made her an easy target. 

It comes as no surprise, then, that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent tour of Africa has been making headlines, especially after clips of the couple expressing their struggles in the recent documentary, Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, came to light (via Slate). Fans and critics alike have been watching their every move — and one of those people watching is none other than Queen Elizabeth herself. 

Although it may seem stressful to have the eyes of the queen on you at all times, Queen Elizabeth II apparently sympathizes with the duchess' situation. Express reported that the matriarch was quite "thrilled" with the tour, and royal experts are calling the trip a "brilliant success." 

In addition to making connections with the local communities and officials, Markle's wardrobe was a hit, especially with the queen, Express reported. The tour didn't require any formal attire, as there were no official receptions scheduled, and the duchess commendably wanted to keep the focus on the work she and Prince Harry were there to support instead of what she wore. 

To accomplish this, she kept all of her looks casual. She even recycled some of her previous outfits and opted for low-key brands like Madewell and Sam Edelman. According to the Daily Mail, just over £4,100 was spent on her wardrobe for the entire visit. 

Vanity Fair reports that Markle's back-to-basics look on the tour has gone over well among senior royals, including the queen. "I expect the queen will be pleased to see that Meghan has been taking a leaf out of her book, wearing outfits more than once and taking the advice of trusted aides like Sam," a royal source said, referring to Markle's private secretary Samantha Cohen.

In an interview with the publication, etiquette expert William Hanson noted, "It is understandable that Their Royal Highnesses want the press attention to focus on the issues and causes that they are there to champion... There is also a larger amount of poverty in South Africa and so to arrive wearing expensive designers and high fashion may be somewhat jarring."

The queen also reportedly enjoyed the informality of the tour. Royal expert Neil Sean weighed in to Express, saying, "We've seen Meghan and Harry dancing, clapping, all that sort of stuff — it's not the sort of things the queen would necessarily do... But she does like the fact that members of her family do interact when they are on tour. This is what makes the royal tours a very big success."