Meghan Markle planned to ‘go out with a bang’ with showstopping outfits for her farewell tour of final royal events, according to Finding Freedom.
The Duchess of Sussex, 39, wowed in breathing outfits and dazzling colours on her final round of engagements in March – wearing £26,400 worth of new clothing for the brief five day visit.
At the time Vanity Fair described it as a ‘masterclass in revenge dressing’ and compared the looks to the little black dress worn by Princess Diana to the Serpentine Gallery on the same night Prince Charles gave his infamous interview about Camilla.
And now the authors of Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan’s new explosive biography have explained how the bold collection of looks were meticulously planned.
According to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, Meghan’s trusted make-up artist Daniel Martin had joked she should ‘go out with a bang!’ when planning her looks for the week.
Meghan Markle, 39, planned to ‘go out with a bang’ with showstopping outfits for her farewell tour of final royal events in March, according to Finding Freedom
Of the Endeavour Fund Awards, which saw Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at Mansion House in dramatic fashion on a rainy night, the authors write: ‘[they served as a showstopping reminder of their ability to command the world’s attention.’
‘Earlier in the day Daniel Martin (who, when planning all her looks for the week, had joked, “Go out with a bang!”) had done her makeup and George Northwood her hair.’
The authors continue: ‘The pictures of the couple beaming under their umbrella as they arrived at the event went viral around the world.
‘The sparkling rain in the frame was pure coincidence, but the confident walk into Mansion House venue and Meghan’s blue midi dress by Victoria Beckham, were carefully planned.’
The Duchess of Sussex wore a series of showstopping outfits during her final royal engagements, with Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand revealing the looks were meticulously planned (pictured, The Duchess stepped out in a floor-length red gown by Safiyaa ‘Kalika’ dress worth £1,295 and a Manolo Blahnik ‘Capri’ Red Satin Clutch costing £1,260 for the Mountbatten Festival of Music)
During her time in the royal family Meghan was renowned for her love of glamorous designer clothes and expensive jewellery, with the royal rarely seen in the same outfit twice.
Her farewell tour was little different, with the Duchess ticking off some of her go-to designer labels, including Givenchy and Victoria Beckham.
During the five day visit, Meghan delivered a masterclass on diplomatic dressing – championing eight British labels during her and Harry’s last engagements as working royals.
In conjunction with International Women’s Day, the duchess has also ensured her wardrobe was dominated by female designers, wearing innovative pieces by Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney, to name but a few.
Meghan’s makeup artist Daniel Martin joked that she should ‘go out with a bang’ during her final week of royal events, according to Omid and Carolyn
At the time Vanity Fair described it as a ‘masterclass in revenge dressing’ and compared the looks to the little black dress worn by Princess Diana to the Serpentine Gallery on the same night Prince Charles gave his infamous interview about Camilla, pictured
For her first public appearance since announcing her plans to step back from royal duty, the royal wore a stunning Victoria Beckham gown with a new Stella McCartney handbag for the Endeavour Awards.
Meanwhile she wowed in a floor-length red gown by Safiyaa ‘Kalika’ dress worth £1,295 and a Manolo Blahnik ‘Capri’ Red Satin Clutch costing £1,260 for the Mountbatten Festival of Music.
Through her carefully selected outfit choices, Meghan also paid a touching tribute to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
The mother-of-one opted for a caped emerald green dress by Emilia Wickstead and matching hat with a netted fascinator by William Chambers as she attended her last official engagement in London before stepping down from royal duties alongside Prince Harry and returning to Canada.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s explosive new biography Finding Freedom became a bestseller within 24 hours of release
And, perhaps in a nod to her late mother-in-law, the look closely resembled that worn by Diana when she was pregnant with Prince William in 1982, aged 22, wearing a green coat dress and similarly netted fascinator.
The book offers new insights into Harry’s falling out with William and how the couple felt ‘thrown under the bus’, after the disagreements started started when the Prince’s older brother referred to Meghan as ‘this girl’ and voiced concerns that he might be rushing the romance.
The authors say Harry ‘felt people working with his brother had put things out there to make William look good, even if it meant throwing Harry under the bus’.
Sources close to the couple also claim in the book that royal aides feared Meghan and Harry’s popularity was eclipsing that of the Royal Family itself – and says the couple were jealous of William and Kate getting the best roles and ‘didn’t feel supported’ by the royals.
The author’s note appears to acknowledge that the writers worked with the couple on the biography, reading: ‘We have spoken with close friends of Harry and Meghan, royal aides and palace staff (past and present), the charities and organisations they have built long-lasting relationships with and, when appropriate, the couple themselves.’
Among the fresh revelations in the book are:
- Meghan Markle formed such a close bond with Prince Charles that she considers him her ‘second father’;
- Meghan was often ‘seen carrying binders full of research on Royal protocol’ so she didn’t put a foot wrong;
- The Queen gave Meghan a royal masterclass in protocol and described Meghan as ‘very clever and good’;
- Harry felt he was ‘thrown under the bus’ by aides working for his brother Prince William;
- Royal courtiers feared the brother’s falling out ‘could spell the end of the monarchy’;
- Meghan left the UK ’emotionally bruised and exhausted’ after her last frosty event with William and Kate;
- Russian hackers stole hundreds of their personal photos in 2018 after gaining access to an online account.