Inside Meghan Markle's $900,000 maternity wardrobe

Meghan’s maternity wardrobe wasn’t cheap. Photo: Getty
Meghan’s maternity wardrobe wasn’t cheap. Photo: Getty

Having landed the role of global fashion muse mere months into her relationship with Prince Harry, it wasn’t surprising that the Duchess of Sussex’s maternity wardrobe proved to be media cat-nip.

Ever since the mother-to-be debuted her bump in a $1,700 dress by Aussie designer Karen Gee (and subsequently caused the website to crash), the royal’s legion of fashion disciples have religiously followed her every sartorial move.

From diplomatic choices abroad (she famously pulled off a series of headline-worthy looks on two royal tours) to surprise appearances (remember when Harry dragged her up on stage?), Meghan’s maternity wardrobe has been quite the talking point over recent months.

But with a grand total of 76 outfits since October 2018 and, reportedly, her last public engagement ticked from the Buckingham Palace schedule, how much did the 37-year-old’s maternity closet cost?

Click below to see every maternity outfit the Duchess of Sussex has worn so far:

According to research conducted by fashion search engine Love the Sales, the Duchess of Sussex’s royal maternity wardrobe weighs in at an estimated AU$888,000

To garner a greater understanding of the Kensington Palace bill, that’s approximately $12,000 per outfit including jewellery.

Stuart McClure, CMO and founder of Love the Sales, told Yahoo UK: “Meghan continues to have a huge influence on shoppers. It’s quite common for items the Duchess wears to sell out on our shopping platform within 24 hours.”

“Her maternity fashion is no exception, as we’ve seen a sharp increase in sales from top designers such as Stella McCartney to affordable outfits from ASOS. As Meghan’s global star power grows, brands will be hoping the royal takes a liking to their clothing.”

With that in mind, let’s break down the Duchess of Sussex’s maternity closet from her go-to designer labels to the looks which bagged the most social media likes.

Who foots the bill for Meghan Markle’s maternity wardrobe?

Before the royal wedding, it was widely reported that Meghan paid for her own newfound royal closet, as members of the royal family are not permitted to accept free clothes from brands.

Now, it’s believed that Prince Charles splits the $37M (£20M) annual income from the Duchy of Cornwall with Prince William, Prince Harry and their two wives.

These funds are used to foot Meghan’s sartorial bill – along with Kate, Harry and William’s.

But according to Brand Finance it’s a worthy investment, as her fashion status is estimated to fuel $900 million a year.

Meghan Markle’s most affordable maternity item

For the Duchess of Sussex’s first solo engagement of 2019, the mother-to-be dressed her bump in her most affordable maternity item to date.

The former actress arrived at Mayhew – an animal welfare organisation in North London – in a $46 H&M dress from the Swedish brand’s maternity collection.

On January 16, 2019 the Duchess of Sussex stepped out in a surprisingly affordable £25 H&M dress [Photo: Getty]
On January 16, 2019 the Duchess of Sussex stepped out in a surprisingly affordable £25 H&M dress [Photo: Getty]

To give the ensemble a royal kick, she beat the rain in a chic Armani coat finished with a $1,300 Stella McCartney bag and $1,000 Manolo Blahnik slingbacks. The item sold out online in under 24 hours and was soon being flogged on eBay for six times the retail price.

Meghan Markle’s most expensive maternity item

The Duchess of Sussex’s biggest maternity splurge was 400 times more expensive than the high street look above and undoubtedly reigns as one of her most lust-worthy ensembles to date.

The Duchess of Sussex wore an ethereal butterfly-emblazoned dress by Oscar de la Renta on October 26, 2018 [Photo: Getty]
The Duchess of Sussex wore an ethereal butterfly-emblazoned dress by Oscar de la Renta on October 26, 2018 [Photo: Getty]

For the 2018 Geographic Society Awards on October 26, 2018 Meghan dressed in a princess-worthy Oscar de la Renta dress which reportedly weighed in at $18,000. To finish the look, she wore her go-to $908 heels by Aquazzura.

Meghan Markle’s most popular maternity outfit

According to Love the Sales, the maternity outfit which bagged the most social media likes was the one-shoulder Givenchy gown she wore to the British Fashion Awards.

The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance at the 2018 Fashion Awards in Givenchy [Photo: Getty]
The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance at the 2018 Fashion Awards in Givenchy [Photo: Getty]

The garment, courtesy of royal wedding dress designer Clare Waight Keller, racked up 356,000 likes in total.

Meghan Markle’s least popular maternity outfit

The Duchess of Sussex is a self-confessed fan of Givenchy and has worn seven looks by the French fashion house on public engagements throughout her pregnancy.

Maternity
The Duchess of Sussex chose a regal blue co-ord for a walkabout in Rotorua on day four of the royal couple’s tour of New Zealand [Photo: Getty]

But the now-famous royal blue co-ord she wore on October 31 while on a walkabout in New Zealand, failed to impress a large number of royal fans.

The semi-sheer ensemble garnered just 39,000 likes on social media.

How does Meghan’s maternity wardrobe compare to Kate’s?

Before the Duchess of Sussex became a fully-fledged member of the Windsor clan, the Duchess of Cambridge was heralded the royal fashion muse of the moment.

And with three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – the 37-year-old is well-versed in the maternity department.

But throughout her three pregnancies, the Duchess of Cambridge recycled a large number of the looks and was praised for her strategic cost-per-wear approach.

In fact, it’s her maternity coat collection that she frequently revisits, as she has recycled the following throughout her pregnancies: a $3,000 hot pink Mulberry coat, a $300 Hobbs leopard coat and a $3,300 Sportmax coat in powder blue.

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