Meghan Markle speaks out and denies taking $1.6k dress from photoshoot without asking
Meghan donned the emerald gown to promote the upcoming season of With Love, Meghan
Meghan Markle is hitting back at claims she kept a designer dress from a photoshoot without approval, after wearing the same dress again in her new Netflix holiday special.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, is seen in the trailer for With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration wearing a one-shoulder emerald green Galvan “Ushuaia” gown, priced at $1,695.
The same dress was originally worn by Meghan for her Variety cover shoot back in 2022, sparking online speculation that she may have taken the gown without permission.
A source had even claimed she “took the dress from the shoot without asking”.
Meghan Markle denies keeping dress from photoshoot without agreement
A spokesperson for Meghan swiftly dismissed the claims.
“The insinuation that any items were taken without the full knowledge and agreement of the on-set stylists or their respective teams is not only categorically false, but also highly defamatory,” they told PEOPLE.
“Any items kept were done so in total transparency and in accordance with contractual arrangements.”
Sources familiar with the industry echoed that this kind of arrangement is common, particularly when public figures are involved.
Fashion worn by royals and celebrities is frequently targeted for resale or auction. This makes it standard practice for talent to retain or buy select items after a shoot.
One fashion source told Page Six it’s not unusual for celebrities to ask to keep something they love.
They said: “They would normally be offered a discount if it’s something the designer can’t part with or a sample that needs to be returned.”
Meghan Markle’s style
When she was a working royal, Meghan, like others in the family, was not permitted to accept gifted clothing.
In the lead-up to her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, she paid for her outfits herself. She was later reportedly given a clothing budget for official appearances by then-Prince Charles.
Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Meghan has faced scrutiny over re-wearing photoshoot pieces.
Last month, she was spotted in New York wearing a black-and-white Chanel midi dress that she previously donned for The Cut in 2022, further fuelling speculation about whether she’d kept that dress as well.
Speaking earlier this year on The Jamie Kern Lima Show, Meghan opened up about how her fashion choices became a form of communication during her time out of the spotlight.
She said: “There was a long time where… I wasn’t out talking. So if you couldn’t hear me, how could I be heard through what I was wearing?”
She also shared her efforts to uplift female-led labels: “[It feels] really great when it can help uplift brands that have a great ethos and female founders.”
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