The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to their “royal” tour but at their discretion. The couple’s attire to date has spoken a lot about their 72-hour journey to Nigeria, which began this week. Exhibit A: Meghan’s nearly backless dress, which felt more American Riviera Orchard than the House of Windsor, when she visited the Jewels Leading Lights Academy in Abuja on Friday. The blush silk design is actually from a 2018 collection by Heidi Merrick, the Duchess’s go-to brand these days. (Her sundress at the Miami Polo is also a product of the California lifestyle company.)
However, during their second engagement on Friday, Harry and Meghan demonstrated that even though they are no longer senior “working” royals, they haven’t forgotten the manners that were instilled in them when they were sent by the late Queen to Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand following their 2018 wedding. While it is customary for female members of the royal family to honor their host nation, the Sussexes pulled off a fashion double feature: the Duchess donned an ivory Altuzarra suit, which she had first worn in Sydney when she was pregnant with Archie, and the Duke showed up in teal-green tailoring, both of which were a nod to the Nigerian flag’s colors.
And what time did you wake up on Saturday? After turning to the Colombian designer for the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards, Meghan chose Johanna Ortiz’s Tropicana Nights dress to watch her husband play volleyball when the pair returned to work. The Duchess, who has always been a California girl, has always included palm leaves in her outfits.
