Meghan Markle Defies Royal Standards In Daring Strapless Black Dress

Meghan Markle has undergone a style change since leaving the royal family, and that was on display as she showed off a daring look in a stunning black dress. On December 4, the Duchess of Sussex attended the Paley Honors Fall Gala, where her good friend Tyler Perry was being honored with the Paley Honors Award. Prior to the event, Meghan walked the red carpet and shared a hug with Perry — Prince Harry was not in attendance. During that exchange, onlookers were given an eyeful of the "Suits" alum in a black gown that probably would have been viewed with disfavor when she and Harry were still part of the royal family.

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Meghan rocked a strapless Oscar de la Renta dress that had a low sweetheart neckline. The piece showed off ample skin, as it was also backless and had a high slit up the front of the skirt that showcased Meghan's legs as she walked. She completed the look with a pair of thin-strapped matching black heels and accessorized with a Logan Hollowell diamond tennis necklace. Fans heaped praise on the former actor for looking great in the strapless number. "Warning Royalists and royal experts will be triggered," one X, formerly Twitter, user wrote about the outfit that defied royal traditions.

The scintillating Paley Honors gown came only a month after Meghan wore a skin-baring outfit to an event sans Harry. That was for the launch of Highbrow Hippie, and Meghan opted for a strapless dress there as well. "Now that Meghan is no longer restricted by royal protocol, she doesn't have to watch her necklines or her hemlines," fashion editor Amber Graafland told The Sun in October. At that time, Meghan had caused a stir with an even more revealing dress.

At the 2024 Children's Hospital Los Angeles Gala in October, Meghan Markle reimagined one of her most scandalous dresses from the past. For the gala, she dug up a scarlet red gown designed by Carolina Herrera that was previously worn in 2021. The dress had a plunging neckline that reached Meghan's midsection and straps that went up around her collarbone to leave her shoulders completely exposed. The Duchess of Sussex did not simply re-wear the Herrera gown, but she had alterations made so the piece was even more daring. "Meghan upcycled the dress by removing the overskirt to reveal the figure-hugging silhouette underneath," Amber Graafland told The Sun after the gala.

The choice to wear the revealing gown caused a cavalcade of backlash. Several took issue not only with the former royal family member donning a low-cut number but for doing so at the CHLA event. "I don't think her dress was too appropriate for a kid's event but she looks beautiful for her age," one X user commented. "Meghan Markle wears inappropriate clothes for certain occasions. She's no princess," another added.

That was not the only time Meghan caused a stir in a brightly-colored strapless outfit. At the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in September 2023, she wore an eye-catching strapless teal dress. These daring colors came only after Meghan and Prince Harry left the royals. On their "Harry & Meghan" Netflix docuseries, Meghan discussed why she had stuck to neutral colors for so many years. "Most of the time that I was in the U.K., I rarely wore color," she said, explaining that it was frowned upon to wear the same colors as more senior royal members (via Us Weekly).