The phenomenal cost of Meghan Markle's outfits: Wardrobe estimated to cost whopping $1 million
Ever since Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex, her commitment hasn't just been confined to the royal house. The 36-year-old has remained committed to turning heads and making headlines with one designer outfit after another, and we are only looking from May 19 onwards, when she officially wore the ring and the crown, and got the title. Until her last public appearance on July 1, her royal wardrobe summed up to over $1 million or just over £758,000. Take a moment to let that sink in.
Her wedding dress, a Clare Waight-designed Givenchy gown is said to have cost a whopping £387,000, which is £137,000 more than Kate’s Middleton's Sarah Burton-designed Alexander McQueen wedding gown. In fact, the cheapest dress Meghan Markle has worn till date is a £590 Goat sheer pink dress, which she wore for her first appearance as the Duchess. This was the elegant ensemble she donned on Prince Charles's garden party while matching the outfit with a Philip Treacy hat. This dress was recently on sale in the US market, retailing at $450.
Her second cheapest ensemble has been the Carolina Herrera off-the-shoulder top and skirt carrying a price tag of £3,402 which she wore for Queen Elizabeth's 92 birthday. This was the second time she opted for the romantic blush-tone pink and accompanied the two-piece set with a Philip Treacy hat, Carolina Herrera white-and-gold clutch, Plaisirs de Birks opal-and-gold earrings and Birks "Iconic" stackable diamond rings in rose gold.
Just when the former 'Suites' actress was acing the Duchess game real strong, her Oscar de la Renta blue floral gown worth £4,568 toned down her fashion power. She garnered massive criticism when attending the wedding of Princess Diana’s niece, Celia McCorquodale, just four weeks after they tied the knot themselves.
Her long-sleeved floral maxi dress, paired with a white fascinator, was deemed ill-fitting, baggy and unfit for the occasion and many took to question the new Duchess's sense of style. However, it is important to note here; the dress may not have pleased a lot of people but money was definitely splurged for the look.
Then on June 14, as if to undo her fashion fouls, Markle sparkled in £13,704 Givenchy cape dress as she stepped out for her first solo outing with Queen Elizabeth. The custom beige Givenchy cape dress was thankfully a good investment for Markle, who established her reign in fashion again. The cape silhouette of her dress was a departure from her signature off shoulders and bateau necklines. She paired the dress with black pumps by American designer Sarah Flint and carried a bespoke Givenchy clutch.
Now on to Markle's wedding day. The reception gown has been immortalized by Meghan Markle when she stunned the world in a £119,555 Stella McCartney evening wedding gown. A lily white high neck gown made of silk crepe was exclusively designed to capture the timeless essence blended with a modern approach, as the high neck delicately scooped at the back and layers of fabric gathered at the gown's base for a rippling effect.
The Bride paired the shoes from Aquazzura made in silky satin, with nude mesh, with soles painted in baby blue. This look gets all our votes as the best one produced by the Duchess of Sussex till date.
The most expensive of all her dresses is her wedding dress that has already been mentioned above. This one dress contributes nearly a half of her $1 million wardrobe estimation. The minimalist gown featuring bateau neckline and sculpted waist with “six meticulously placed seams,” did not top Kate Middleton's iconic dress featuring long lace sleeves, a v-neckline, and an epic train, which surprisingly was also less expensive.
Just these six dresses are worth a staggering figure and the estimation excludes jewelry and accessories. Even as an actress, Markle had a net worth of almost £4 million, but ever since she's been married to the prince, whose personal fortune is nearly £34 million, her makeover has been mindblowing. Now, all the outfits are officially funded by the royal family under the royal 'household budget.'
Remember that it's only been two months since the actress became the Duchess and she already boasts unfathomable wardrobe value. How much do you think it will be when she celebrates her first anniversary next year? At this pace, surely $6 million or more.