The Duchess of Sussex proved a little black dress can always be trusted as she donned a mid length gown for the glittering Lion King premiere this evening.
Meghan Markle, 37, looked gorgeous in the £3,454 black gown, by Taiwanese-Canadian designer Jason Wu as she attended the European premiere at Leicester Square with husband Prince Harry, 34, tonight.
The new mother carried a small black satin clutch bag from Gucci costing £1,680, and finished her outfit with a pair of embellished sling back black pumps by Aquazzura, costing £640.
The royal couple watched the live-action remake of the classic 1990s film, and met the cast and crew of the movie, which includes Beyoncé, Donald Glover and Seth Rogen.
The former Suits actress looked at home on the yellow carpet alongside Prince Harry, despite recent backlash about their approach to privacy.
While Meghan has walked plenty of red carpets in her former days as an actress, tonight’s film premiere is her first as a royal.
The Duchess donned a stunning £3,454 mid-length black gown by designer Jason Wu for the occasion, with a sheer panel across the top of the bodice and sleeves
The top of Meghan’s dress was a stunning sheer, with the royal revealing her shoulders by slicking her hair back into a neat chiffon bun
Harry gazed at his wife as they walked hand in hand down the yellow carpet at The Lion King European premiere this evening
Duchess of Sussex wowed in a stunning black gown by designer Canadian-Taiwainese designer Jason Wu, which cost over £3,454.
The midi-gown, which featured a partly sheer bodice with sheer sleeves, fell perfectly below the royal’s knee.
The royal carried a small black satin clutch bag from Gucci costing £1,680, and finished her outfit with a pair of embellished sling back black pumps by Aquazzura, costing £640.
The royal is known for her love of designer brands, and rarely wears the same outfits twice, selecting new outfits from favourite designers such as Givenchy and Victoria Beckham on almost every appearance.
Her maternity wardrobe is believed to have cost over half a million pounds, and further boosted by decadent jewellery, which adds financial value to several of her outfits.
She kept her jewellery simple for the event, donning a simple pair of Nikos Koulis earrings for the occasion.
A walk on the wild side! Meghan and Harry took a stroll along the yellow carpet – which had been playfully decorated with black paw prints – ahead of the premiere
The couple looked dashing as they walked the yellow carpet at the event, beaming at crowds of screaming fans
Proving you can’t go wrong with a little black dress, Meghan wowed in a stunning midi dress this evening from Taiwanese-Canadian designer Jason Wu
The new parents beamed as they arrived at the event in London this evening, apparently overjoyed to be making their first royal yellow carpet appearance together
Meghan and Harry clasped hands as they walked the yellow carpet together ahead of the premiere in Leicester Square this evening
It is believed the earrings can be worn two different ways, with a detachable black enamel, and that Meghan last wore the jewellery for the Trooping the Colour.
She has favoured turquoise gems on recent appearances, selecting the stunning stone for two of her three public appearances since she gave birth in May.
Meghan has previously been photographed wearing a delicate 18-carat gold ‘mommy’ necklace when she was seven-months-pregnant, with many believing it could have been one of her baby shower gifts.
The royal wore her dark hair slicked back in a wet look chiffon bun, and kept her makeup minimal with a touch of bronzer and a sweeping smokey eye for the occasion.
Meghan grinned as waiting fans and crowds in Leicester Square snapped pictures while she walking the yellow carpet at the event
The royal couple beamed at crowds of fans who had gathered in Leicester Square ahead of the European premiere this evening
Meghan and Harry walked hand-in-hand down the special ‘yellow’ carpet at the London premiere of The Lion King
Meghan appeared animated as she beamed at the waiting crowd at the European premiere of The Lion King remake
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle looked relaxed as they walked the yellow carpet tonight for the European premiere of The Lion King
Meanwhile Prince Harry looked dashing in a classic black suit and bow-tie for the occasion.
Following their glittering appearance in front of the royals press, the Duke and Duchess met the cast and crew and were seen embracing Beyonce and Sir Elton John at the event.
Alongside the release of the film, The Walt Disney Company announced the launch of a global conversation campaign called Protect the Pride.
It will hope to raise awareness for the dwindling population of lions across Africa, and will be supported by the Royal Foundation.
Prince Harry and Meghan could be seen giggling with the crowd as they walked the yellow carpet
The royal couple strolled along the yellow carpet in Leicester Square hand-in-hand as they attended the premiere for The Lion King
The royal couple will meet with representatives from organisations doing ground-breaking work in the areas of conservation and the environment.
Prince Harry has taken a keen interest in African conservation projects over the years, and supports a number of wildlife and community projects.
Buckingham Palace said: ‘The Duke of Sussex has taken a deep personal interest in frontline conservation projects that work to protect Africa’s natural heritage and support both wildlife and local communities.’
Several members of the royal family have confessed to the original Disney film being a favourite.
Prince Harry looked dashing in a black suit and tie for the occasion, while Meghan donned a midi length black gown
Meghan’s stunning brown hair was slicked back into a neat chiffon bun, while she had kept her makeup look simple with a sweep of bronzer
Prince Harry has previously mentioned watching it more than 20 times, and said he is able to recite the words and songs from heart.
And he’s not the only royal to call it his ‘favourite film’, with sources saying little Prince George is also a huge fan of the animated movie.
It is also believed the film has special meaning to Harry and Meghan, who attended a West End production of the musical for one of their early dates in December 2016.
Sir Elton is also believed to have performed Circle of Life at the royal couple’s wedding reception at Windsor Castle in May 2018.
A difficult week for the Duchess of Sussex
The premiere marks Meghan’s second appearance of the weekend, despite technically being on maternity leave. Following her controversial appearance at Wimbledon last week, she attended the Women’s Single Final alongside sister-in-law Kate Middleton and Pippa yesterday
Tonight’s event will provide Meghan a good opportunity to portray a more positive image after recent public difficulties.
A growing backlash has faced the Duchess after she made a controversial visit to watch friend Serena Williams play at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
The royal caused a stir as her bodyguards told fans not to take pictures of her, and she flouted rules by wearing jeans in a members’ only area.
It was claimed she was attending in a ‘private capacity’, with two close friends from her Northwestern University Days, Genevieve Hills and Lindsay Roth.
Meghan has made several public appearances in the past few days, including attended Prince Harry’s charity polo match with baby Archie on Tuesday (pictured Prince Harry, Meghan and baby Archie on Tuesday)
Meanwhile, another fan who was told off by Meghan’s security team for taking a picture nearby, was actually taking a selfie and not trying to photograph the Duchess.
Additionally, club sources said she was a ‘nightmare’ to accommodate, with her casual attire and ‘self-regarding paranoia’.
An official tasked with organising the event told The Times: ‘It was a nightmare, she was a nightmare.’
The controversy came just days after Harry and Meghan faced growing backlash over their son Archie’s christening last week, which they insisted on keeping private, despite recently billing the public £2.4million to renovate Frogmore cottage.
A handful of royals fans gathered in Windsor for the event and, though excited, some suggested they have been left ‘disappointed’ that the public will not get to see any of the private ceremony or find out who has been chosen as godparents.
The royal caused a stir at Wimbledon last week as her bodyguards asked fans not to take pictures of her, and she flouted rules by wearing jeans