Since joining the British royal family in 2018, Meghan Markle’s style has been analyzed in detail. Every dress, every accessory, and every fashion choice sparked comparisons with other members of the monarchy. Yet there was one stylistic link that never went unnoticed: the one she built with the legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Rather than replicating her looks exactly, Meghan found different ways to pay homage to Harry’s mother. At times she drew on pieces that belonged to Diana; at others, she chose silhouettes, colors, or accessories that inevitably recalled some of her most emblematic styles.
On the day Meghan Markle celebrates her 45th birthday, we look back at some of the most memorable fashion nods.
The aquamarine ring that belonged to Lady Di
One of the most emotive tributes arrived on the very day of her wedding to Prince Harry. For the private reception at Frogmore House, Meghan swapped her wedding gown for a halter-neck design by Stella McCartney and completed the look with the spectacular Asprey aquamarine ring that had belonged to Diana.
The Princess had worn it for the first time in 1996, shortly after her divorce from then-Prince Charles. Years later, Harry decided to gift it to Meghan, making it one of the most symbolic jewels in her collection.
Diana’s butterfly earrings
During the 2018 official tour of Australia, Meghan surprised many by appearing in delicate diamond butterfly-shaped earrings that had belonged to Lady Di.
The choice was not a coincidence: Diana had worn them on an official trip to Canada in 1986 and later at various public engagements. Meghan retrieved them more than three decades later as a discreet tribute.
The gold bracelet that was also Diana’s
On that same voyage to Oceania, the Duchess also wore a fine gold bracelet belonging to the Princess of Wales.
It wasn’t the first time she drew on a piece of Diana’s jewelry, but it was one of the occasions where the homage was most evident, since both pieces were worn during the same public appearance.
The little black dress that recalled the “revenge dress”
At the Salute to Freedom gala, held in New York in 2021, Meghan chose a black off-the-shoulder dress by Carolina Herrera.
The design instantly recalled the unforgettable “revenge dress” that Diana wore in 1994. Although it wasn’t a replica, the combination of the black color, bare shoulders, and the attitude with which both wore the look made the comparison inevitable.
The Lady Dior handbag, a handbag with history
Among Meghan’s favorite accessories also appears the emblematic Lady Dior, a design created by the French house that ended up adopting the name of Princess Diana after becoming one of her favorite purses.
Whenever the duchess incorporates it into her ensembles, the nod to Lady Di’s fashion legacy becomes virtually inevitable.
The Cartier watch Meghan inherited from Diana
Another of Meghan’s most special pieces is the Cartier Tank Française watch that belonged to Diana.
The actress had long said in interviews that she dreamed of owning a Cartier watch as a symbol of her personal achievements. Today she alternates that model with the timepiece inherited from Lady Di, a piece that often accompanies some of her public commitments.
The power of the white suit
If there was one garment that both redefined, it was the white tailored suit. Diana made it one of her great allies during the 1990s, and Meghan did the same in various official appearances and international events.
With clean lines and a modern edge, the white ensemble became one of those classics that unite both of their styles without the need to replicate a specific look.
A silent homage through fashion
Beyond the inevitable comparisons sparked since her arrival to the royal family, Meghan Markle has always shown admiration for Diana’s figure and for the deep bond that linked the princess to Harry.
Through inherited jewelry, iconic accessories, and style choices that recall some of Lady Di’s most memorable looks, the Duchess of Sussex has found an elegant and subtle way to keep her legacy alive. A gesture that, seven years after her wedding and on the day of her 45th birthday, continues to be part of her fashion identity.
