Saturday 23 February 2019

The Duchess in Red Valentino For Casablanca Arrival

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began a three-day visit to Morocco this evening when they arrived at Casablanca airport for an official welcome.


It marks one of several trips abroad the Duchess has made since officially becoming a member of the Royal family nine months ago. Harry and Meghan visited Ireland, Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand on behalf of her Majesty in 2018, and their visit to Morocco marks their first joint trip of 2019.


The Duchess who is expecting her first child in April is said to be feeling very well and eager to work as close to her due date as possible. Meghan has just returned from a visit to New York where several of her closest friends hosted a baby shower. The Palace told the media "medical provisions have been made" for Meghan in the event she requires care.


The visit to the North African country comes at the request of the government. Given the tumultuous unfolding of Brexit, we've seen members of the Royal family deployed abroad to lend a touch of "soft diplomacy" to strengthen ties. The Evening Standard reports Prime Minister Theresa May spoke about the "incredible" trading potential during a trade mission to Africa last year: "A more prosperous, growing and trading Africa is in all of our interests and its incredible potential will only be realised through a concerted partnership between governments, global institutions and business. As we prepare to leave the European Union, now is the time for the UK to deepen and strengthen its global partnerships."


The Duke and Duchess arrived over an hour late, after 9 pm, due to a delayed Royal Air Maroc commercial flight. A team of nine accompanied them, including two assistant private secretaries, three members of the communications team, a digital officer, palace assistant, programme coordinator and a hairdresser.


The Duke and Duchess were greeted by British Ambassador to Morocco Thomas Reilly and his wife at the airport. Mr Reilly told reporter Victoria Murphy: "When we began planning for this visit I had a very clear view in my mind of the story we wanted this visit to tell. In a fortunate stroke of serendipity we found the story fits almost identically with interests which are close to Their Royal Highnesses hearts. The Duke and Duchess will be shown the transformational impact of community-based programmes and Morocco’s changing attitudes towards women. There is much more to do in this arena. But it is clear that attitudes are changing fast - as demonstrated by the influential role that women are increasingly playing in modern Morocco’s sporting, social, political, commercial and cultural scenes." Below, the Ambassador standing behind Meghan.


The Ambassador has done an absolutely outstanding job promoting the visit, attending rehearsals and assisting in the organisation of the itinerary in recent weeks.


Mr Reilly was very impressed with Harry and Meghan :)


Prince Harry inspected a Guard of Honour.


An arrival video.


Casablanca is a modern city by the sea and often the starting point for visitors looking for the cosmopolitan and economic heartbeat of the country. According to Wiki Travel: "The modern city of Casablanca was founded by Berber fishermen in the 10th Century BC and was subsequently used by the Phoenicians, Romans, and the Merenids as a strategic port called Anfa. The Portuguese destroyed it and rebuilt it under the name Casa Branca, only to abandon it after an earthquake in 1755. The Moroccan sultan rebuilt the city as Daru l-Badya and it was given its current name of Casablanca by Spanish traders who established trading bases there. The French occupied the city in 1907, establishing it as a protectorate in 1912 and starting construction of the ville nouvelle, however it gained independence with the rest of the country in 1956."


Of course for so many of us, Casablanca will always be synonymous with the 1942 classic romantic movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as former lovers reunited in the city during World War II. Fans of the movie (if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it as a must-see Hollywood great) may be interested to hear Rick's Café, which was designed to recreate and emulate the café from the movie, opened in the city in 2004. It's one of the go-to places in the city.


A very sweet shot of Harry and Meghan leaving the airport.


Unusually, Kensington Palace didn't share a public press release regarding the itinerary. Thankfully, the reporters were on hand to share relevant information. Several of you were in touch to ask if we would see the Moroccan monarchy involved in the trip. The media were informed earlier today that yes we will.


During their stay, Harry and Meghan will be staying at the royal residence in Rabat where they were greeted by fifteen-year-old Crown Prince Moulay Hassan. Despite the fact the heir is only a teenager, he's been training and preparing for his future for some time. He's greeted a number of officials, been involved in important visits and represented the family at funerals abroad.


The couple were offered milk and dates - a traditional Moroccan welcome.


On Monday afternoon, the Duke and Duchess will have an audience with King Mohammad VI of Morocco. The spotlight on Morocco, with a recent State visit by Spain's King Felipe and Queen Leitizia, and Harry and Meghan's visit, has led to international media requesting information on the King's wife Princess Lalla Salma. There have been numerous reports claiming the couple divorced last year, however requests for official confirmation have been met with silence. The Princess has not been seen officially since late 2017. International media believe the King has custody of their children but she sees them often. Emily Andrews tweeted it's understood she's on the Greek Island of Kea with her daughter Princess Lalla Khadija. Below, the King and Princess with Crown Prince Moulay Hassan in 2014.


The Duchess looked regal in a bespoke red Valentino dress with an embroidered capelet. The cut and silhouette of the piece makes it an ideal choice for maternity wear. It's one of Meghan's best maternity looks to date. The shade of red looked lovely on her and provided a very nice sartorial nod to her host country. Not only is red the primary colour of the Moroccan flag, it represents hardiness, bravery, strength and valour.


The UFO No More team noted Meghan's dress is based on pieces from the 2013 Spring Collection.


A closer look at the cape detail.


Meghan carried Valentino's Small Vring Smooth Crossbody Bag (with thanks to Meghan's Mirror). The bag features a metal logo, adorned with a ring and tie. The bag retails for $2,145 on the Valentino Website. It's available in medium at Bergdorf Goodman.


Meghan carried matching gloves.


Anne suggests Meghan wore Gianvito Rossi satin pumps.


And accessorised with her Natalie Marie Diamond Sun Studs.


Tomorrow's Sunday Telegraph leads with a nod to Casablanca; Here's looking at you, Duchess.



A look at the itinerary for tomorrow:

  • Harry and Meghan will visit the Atlas Mountains to visit organisations Education For All and Lycee Asni to hear more about their efforts to educate girls.
  • At the Education for All boarding house in Asni, Harry will present founder Michael McHugo with his MBE.
  • That evening, they will attend a reception at the British Ambassador's residence.

What do you think of Meghan's arrival look?

124 comments:

  1. Looked like it was pretty tight security, and Harry didn't look comfortable separating from Meghan. Meghan's dress looks just perfect. It fits perfectly and is beautiful on her. She looks great; can't wait to see them when they are more relaxed, although Meghan always acts relaxed. :)

    I read that they were taking an extra day, and hope we get to hear about where they visit. I'm glad they'll get a 1-day vacation if this is true.

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    1. I am not sure they are actually spending an extra day. From what I could gather they have a full day on Monday and therefor they are flying back on Tuesday instead of Monday evening.

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  2. Beautiful color on her! ❤

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  3. Love her in this red outfit...but what caught my eye more was Prince Harry! Love that suit on him! What a great soft color. He looks great 👍🏻

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  4. Love the look but wish she wasn't carrying so many items in her hand, haha! Detracts from such a nice, clean look. Wish she'd either put the gloves on (although I'm guessing that would be rude when shaking hands?) or handed them to an aide.

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    1. The queen wears gloves all the time when shaking hands so I don't think it is a problem, maybe she doesn't feel like wear them.
      Nice look, very chic


      Silvia

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    2. The gloves in the hand remind me of Queen Maxima of the Netherlands - it is a very continental European look. Lots of people love it but it always feels a bit affected to me.

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    3. Anon 21:15 here: I think it's the combination of a rather busy bag AND the gloves in her hand that's throwing me off. The bag's little strappy things look a bit messy, and coupled with the rather large gloves it's all just a little distracting. Would love to see the outfit with the gloves on, though! Very Jackie Kennedy.

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    4. By the etiquett women can wear gloves while shaking hands

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    5. Love, love, love the dress! Love the handbag and gloves but, agree, not together. The handbag has a lot going on and with the gloves it does look messy. But everything is so classy from head to toe that its not that much of distraction. Can't wait to see that handbag again with a different outfit for it to really shine.

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  5. From what I see form the video the press looks unorganized.

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  6. Love it. You cannot go wrong in Valentino and the red is divine! Love all the accessories too. Classy and elegant and perhaps My favourite pregnancy outfit.

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    1. The cut and colar of the dress is spectacular for this event. She is just glowing. I love the contrasting color of Prince Harrys suit.

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  7. She knows how to dress for a pregnancy. Just lovely.

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  8. I really love this look - perfect! :) Both the dress and the hairdo suit Meghan extremely well.

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  9. Beautiful dress but it looks like such a tense welcome! Very serious and official. Big contrast to other arrivals.

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  10. Meghan looks absolutely AMAZING!!! I love this dress and handbag and shoes. I have a weakness for caped dresses.

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  11. Sure it's a dress? Looking closely it has an opening in the front bottom to neck.

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    1. You’re right! It looks like a coatdress. I thought the hem was uneven but it looks like an opening.

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    2. It appears to me that there is a deep pleat that opens at waist level and goes to the hem.

      R

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    3. The original design is on tweeter in white and is a dress by Valentino.

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    4. Additional photos show that the center pleat begins at the neckline, and flows the length of the dress.

      R

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  12. Totally charming look. Meghan looks magnificent in red, and as it is a colour she seldom wears, the impact is stunning each time. Lovely to carry the gloves. Women used to do it all the time. It was another accessory, like a brooch or a bracelet. I imagine the delay would have been rather tiring for Meghan. Harry seems to be keeping an eagle eye on her!

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    1. Totally love the dress & capelet! Handbag not so much, but the dresss is a winner, especially loving the red color.

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  13. Meghan looks gorgeous! And Harry isn’t half bad either 😉

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  14. Meghan looks so good in red; I can't believe she doesn't wear it more often. I cannot wait to see the rest of her outfits for this tour. Harry looks very nice as well. And the honor guard, their posture and the white uniforms WOW.

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  15. Harry’s suit! 😍 Meghan looks regal & beautiful in that colour. Morocco looks like a stunning/interesting place!

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  16. Yay, arrival in Moroccco! Love the dress - both cut and color. I’m home for the rest of the day and will be htting refresh occasionally for updates. :) Thanks Charlotte, you rock!

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  17. Love the colour and style.

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  18. Wow!!! They look absolutely amazing !!!! I love to see Meghan in Red and Harry the soft grey with pink tie just add that little ...muah!!!

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  19. Beautiful dress! Her best maternity look so far. She looks amazing. I love it.

    R

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  20. Steph from Canberra23 February 2019 at 21:57

    Stunning!!!

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  21. What a lovely pregnancy look. Much better at this stage than something form fitting. So glad to see them both looking so well, even if a bit tensed up for the welcome.

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    1. I also think the looser fit was culturally sensitive considering Morocco is a conservative country.

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  22. Absolutely stunning... both of them.

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  23. What a fabulous dress! Meghan looks amazing in red. Harry looks great in his gray suit. This looks to be a very good if brief tour.

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  24. Anonymous in Colorado23 February 2019 at 22:21

    Meghan looks beautiful. Very official welcome. The trays of food presented to them looked lovely, what a hospitable gesture. I read somewhere that the people of Morocco are so gracious in their hospitality.

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  25. I am very sensitive to this beautiful Moroccan welcome. What beautiful attentions that strengthen the charm of this country. All this with the beautiful portrait of Sussex tonight is magic. Harry is so classy and those quick glances to know his wife’s comfortable not far from him is cute. As for Meghan, tonight is the most beautiful red chaperone I see. She is perfect, so beautiful.

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  26. Come through Duke and Duchess! They are slaying! Meghan looks absolutely gorgeous! Best maternity outfit!

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  27. So beautiful! I can't imagine her jet lag after all this travel! Glad it's only 2 days.

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  28. Best maternity outfit so far. She looks good.

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    1. I agree. I think she's at that stage of pregnancy where the snug dresses no longer are comfortable so she HAS to wear more "traditional" maternity wear. But she certainly knows how to pick chic looks even while pregnant!

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    2. I suspect that it was more about protocol to a Muslim country. They tend to be quite modest especially in a situation like this, I'm sure. On her flight home Meghan wore tight athletic leggings with a zip-up jacket, so that makes me think the snugness wasn't so much of an issue for her.

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  29. Courtney Providence Village23 February 2019 at 23:24

    She looks STUNNING!!! Absolutely looks amazing in red. She looks so tan too!!

    Why did she not walk with him down the red carpet?

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    1. Harry was inspecting the guard of honour, so Meghan and everyone else is supposed to walk behind him.

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    2. Courtney Providence Village24 February 2019 at 03:23

      Oh I see! Yes ok! Thank you!! :)

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  30. She looks amazing! And so pregnant! I'm impressed.

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  31. "Casablanca" is my favorite movie...ever...so I'm in a real good mood already. :) I was looking for some PDA and smiles from Harry and saw both, so all is good in the world. And this is the best pregnancy look---the fabric falls just right, and I love the embroidery and the color. Harry looks very cool and I can hope that his blue suits are slowly burning back in the UK.

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    1. I've been to Morocco and Casablanca. Great movie, but it showcases nothing about the country or city.

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  32. I believe in Morocco the age of majority for men is 14 and the Crown Prince has been attending official events since then. It’s also when his mother disappeared from royal life, which has led people to conclude that this was an arranged marriage with an expiration date predetermined.

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    1. Actually the Crown Prince has been attending official events since he was 12 years old. Side note - there is an adorable video of him at 12 yrs. meeting a group of officials. It's traditional to kiss the hand of a royal but the young prince is having none of that, quickly snatching his hand away from those who try. :)

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  33. She looks so beautiful and amazing. Dress fits perfectly. Best maternity look.

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  34. Shantel (@FashionandFaith)23 February 2019 at 23:53

    I love this look! Meghan looks perfectly elegant from head to toe. I love the added touch of the gloves...it reminds me of old school, vintage fashion: my grandmother carried gloves whenever she dressed up. She told me that gloves “finished” the look. Back in the day, women would carry gloves that they never even intended to wear (as evidenced by the size of some of the pairs I inherited after her death. They were obviously carried for the look because they are tiny!). They were meant to be carried along with a fabulous clutch, much like what Meghan did today (and at Louis’s christening). I love it!
    The weight of this tour’s importance certainly doesn’t seem to be lost in the Sussexes. It’s a lot of responsibility, and I have no doubt that they will pull this off beautifully. They are fantastic ambassadors! I cannot wait to see what’s in store over the next couple of days.
    Thanks, Charlotte!
    Shantel
    Minnesota, USA

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  35. I have a question about the itinerary which I hope Charlotte or someone commenting can answer. Are Meghan actually staying in Rabat this evening? So they would have been driven to Rabat. Tomorrow they would have to be driven or helicoptored to Asni? Morocco is a lovely country which I've had the pleasure of visiting. The people are just lovely.

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    1. Hello,

      Yes they travelled from Casablanca airport to the Palace in Rabat. Tomorrow, they will travel to Asni and back to Rabat for the reception tomorrow evening.

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  36. Very classy look. She looks respectful and very appropriate.
    I really like this trapeze look. It’s a throwback for sure, and I wore form fitting stuff while pregnant, not this style, but I think this statement in Northern Africa is very appropriate. It looks serious. But still fashionable.
    For all intents and purposes this is really their first test. It is at a time of a lot of unrest with protests there that I like the way she is presenting herself. I know Oceania was a big tour, but I think this is where they really are seriously representing the crown. I am glad she chose a look like this.

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  37. The Sussexes both look lovely, such a stunning couple! I hope they have a safe & happy visit to Morocco!

    Dena

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  38. I wonder if it was due to the unrest in Morocco that KP didn’t do the usual press release.

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  39. What an absolutely stunning dress! They both look wonderful.

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  40. She looks amazing, I think her style will veer towards more conservative in Morocco specifically.

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  41. She looks good in her outfit and i love these maternity dress of hers

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  42. Looking forward to tomorrow's itinerary, especially Education For All!

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  43. I think she looks very regal and I love the quote on the front page of the Telegraph. It shows admiration and respect.

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    1. Or maybe their headline writer is simply being predictable thinking it's clever by riffing off a line from a film for an actress. It's very hard to link cause & effect in such instances. Or find noble motives where the dialogue with (usually little) respect to Meghan is concerned. Cynics R Us.

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    2. Philly, wow, such a negative attitude to take. I for one, as an old movie buff, found the quote of the most famous line in movie history to be enjoyable, predictable or not. And it doesn't really matter whether the motive was "noble" or not, what matters is that the effect was positive and hopefully a signal that things are changing in regard to the media's treatment of Meghan. Hopefully more people see it the way I do and personally, the only way I get through each and every day of my life is to look for the positive in everything.

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  44. The Duchess of Sussex looked amazing. Most lovely. The comments from Ambassador Reilly re the Duke and Duchess were very nice. I have seen Casablanca (more than once) and I agree, a classic. Charlotte, I really enjoyed reading the history of the country and background info on some of the leaders.. Thank you so much.

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  45. I love this look of Meghan's! Just stunning. I'm also pregnant and due at the end of April, and have had a hard time finding comfortable dresses that are budget friendly. Not so sure I would look good in this outfit, but love it for Meghan. :)

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    1. You would I am sure, but it is not budget friendly:):)

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  46. Very pretty dress. She looks professional and elegant.

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  47. I am baffled by the nitpicking remarks about her gloves. So petty.
    Perhaps because I grew up in the 50s, I’ve seen elegant women carry gloves like that many times. My new rule: “It’s okay unless Meghan does it” is reinforced. It could be protocol concerns in a Muslim country; it could be in case her hands are cold.

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    1. Thank you, Greybird K. I wasn't going to say anything as I felt it was petty of me to find the nit-picking petty. However, I wanted to let you know you were not the only one scratching your head.

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    2. I agree....she looks lovely

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    3. There's nothing petty about the remarks of the gloves. It was a discussion and an opinion that they wish she had worn them, that's all. This is a blog about Meghan, so the comments will be about her, it's not meant as a criticism, just a comment and a preference. Similar criticisms have been made about Kate carrying her scarf with her bag in Scotland, it looks busy but maybe has a purpose. Good chance to learn why from others willing to teach.

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    4. I don't think anyone was being nit-picky or petty. Just that it looked like her hands were full and that took away from an otherwise great outfit. Charlotte will often comment on what she likes and dislikes about Meghan and Kate's outfits in a respectful way, and the same was done here. That standard was set by the person who runs this blog, and I see it being met in these comments. Not everything has to be an entirely positive comment, as long as it's not hateful.

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    5. I would never bother to read the comments if all everybody is saying is “Wow, I love every part of her outfit”. I follow blogs like this for the interesting conversations and different points of view.

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    6. Comments like this are exactly why I rarely comment on this blog, or anything concerning Meghan, to be honest. If someone has a different opinion or criticism about her outfit it gets very uncomfortable, very quickly. Apparently the only way you can comment is 100% positive 100% of the time or else you're nit picking, jealous of her or racist. The royal watching environment has gotten pretty hostile lately on both sides and it seems people aren't allowed to stand in the neutral zone instead of fawning or disliking her.

      There were times on the Duchess Kate blog where things got testy between different groups of commenters but never like this. It truly takes the fun out of following her most of the time.

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    7. Lisa from New York City24 February 2019 at 13:25

      I completely agree anonymous 11:15. Back in 2004 I followed a blog dedicated to Priceless Mary of Denmark where basically the only comment allowed was “she looks perfect!”. Many other opinions were deleted because allegedly other royals read the blog (ha!). You can imagine how tiresome a one sided conversation soon became and the blog eventually closed.

      When I give constructive criticism, it is out of a genuine desire to see Meghan succeed in this new role. Not every step she takes will be perfect as all humans have strengths and weaknesses. Giving opinions does not mean one is a hater, complainer, racist, etc.

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    8. Agree with all the above who encourage healthy debate. If people who are commenting truly harmlessly about their own tastes regarding Meghan's outfits are going to be labelled as petty, then honestly, what is permissible to you? You might be better off trying to discourage the actually racist and hateful comments about her than ones that are truly harmless. It's a waste of your energy and it really takes the fun out of this community, as stated above.

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    9. As a big fan of Elizabeth Holmes commentary on fashion on IG, I’m with her on standing in the middle ground and objectively sharing what you like and dislike about a look. More fun and real that way (btw she is not a fan of the glove carrying). You should check out her account!

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  48. Absolutely beautiful!!! Lovely arrival welcome and the two look radiant! Thank you Charlotte!!❤️❤️

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  49. Oh my. This is a glamorous look, very elegant. Looking forward to the rest of the itinerary. People in the video look quite strained somehow. Is there unrest in the country just now? I haven't found anything specific in the news.

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  50. Love the looks on both Meghan and Harry!! Also, had to mention how sweet Ambassador Reilly's comments were. Warmed my heart. SO looking forward to your posts on this tour, Charlotte. Thank you!
    AnneHH

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  51. Wow, Meghan is so beautiful and gorgeous; the red dress suits her so well. Harry is very lucky to have her. She always looks confident, calm and collected.

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  52. Is it me or does she look very strained this evening? This kind of event would give me a heartattack so I can’t blame her but she usually looks much more relaxed.

    The gloves are so classic. She looks beautiful as always.

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    1. I also got the feeling that both Harry and Meghan was looking very stressed and/or nervous. This is a different kind of welcome, much more formal (and nerve racking) than their previous events. And also the first time where Harry had a specific role and Meghan was left in the background. Meghan covered it well but there are a few moments where she did not seem to know what she should be doing or going next. And Harry kept on checking if she was OK.
      Like all things in life, next time it will
      be easier.

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    2. Was she not allowed to walk on the red carpet for some reason? Not only did she follow behind him but she seemed to deliberately walk off of it?

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    3. I tried to find pictures of similar ceremonies to see what the common practice is, but all I could find is pictures of Kate standing in the background while William inspected the guard before returning to her. But then they always moved in a different direction. This case was different since Meghan had to get to the other side of the red carpet.
      I can just assume that it is some sort of protocol and that Meghan had the right of it.

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  53. Wow she is stunning!!! Probably the most beautiful pregnant woman I have ever seen. The fullness in her face really suites her she looks healthy and vibrant!!! Harry looks very good as well! Hope their trip proves fruitful for the U.K.!!! Love her dress by the way, so glad to see her in something loose and not skin right!!!!

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  54. I have to say that beautiful kid gloves are an accessory unto themselves, paired with this bag they make the perfect accessory together as a pair no need for big jewelry, it is a very classy look and to me the dress would have looked unfinished without them, great choice carrying the bag along with the gloves, these aren’t just any pair of cloth gloves, these gloves were meant to be showcased, they are like fine wine, in fact I would love a pair myself!!!

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  55. Their body language is different, isn’t it? I wonder if they’re nervous being there with the unrest? Her dress looks wonderful on her and I love PH’s look too!

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  56. “Here’s looking at you kid”...... one of the greatest movies. Meghan looks lovely in her red Valentino. She is really in great shape, with so much energy this late in her pregnancy. I hope they have a safe tour.

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  57. Greetings,
    Absolutely stunning. What a joy to see. Stylish, immaculate and conservative at the same time. Love the whole look. Prince Harry's joy at looking at Meghan in that car journey makes me smile! This has brightened my day.

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  58. i think meghan looks lovely and have no quibbles about her outfit at all, including the gloves, however bearing in mind they are on a visit promoting british trade I dont understand why she is wearing an italian designer. a moroccan nod to her hosts or a British designer would have been far more appropriate. by all means wear whatever designer she wants when off duty but they are at work and clothes are the uniform

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    1. Valentino is now owned by the State of Quatar

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    2. still not relevant to the visit

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  59. Greetings All,

    Absolutely stunning. Grace, style, and respectful. The Colour is just heart warming. Prince Harry has pure joy written all over his face in the photograph of them in the car.

    This is the kind of style that really grabs my attention - both Harry and Meghan have nailed it.

    Lovely to see in any language.

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  60. I think she looks beautiful and very big about to deliver her beautiful baby/babies!

    cheers and thanks Charlotte for your continued hard work

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  61. What a stunning look! This is probably my favorite. I love the red color on her and that the dress is free-flowing because I'm not a fan of the shrink-wrapped outfits. The gloves are fine and the bag is simply gorgeous. Harry looks great too - he looks so fit and healthy. It was just really nice to see this.

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  62. Really like this dress. The bespoke shoulder cape, beautiful, the colour looks fantastic on the Duchess. I love the gloves it does add that finished look, whether she wears them or carries them, does not detract from her, years ago they did this, maybe the Duchess will set a new trend, so feminine looking. Her accessories look lovely. This is a beautiful maternity dress, much better than skin tight, she look so elegant looking.

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  63. Nicole from France24 February 2019 at 08:19

    Lovely, definitely ! And for those who have been complaining about Magnan having to wear a proper maternity dress, there it is !!!! And this dress hardly looks like a maternity one, it is a very good choice, very elegant ! No problem beeing distracted from the embroidered cape by gloves and handbag .... I haven’t been !
    I am sometimes distracted by Harry’s suede shoes ......ahahaha

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  64. I have commented on a lot of other things, but not on her outfit yet. I love seeing Meghan back in royal mode. (I don’t follow celebrities or actors, they don’t interest me. So yes I prefer Royal Meghan over Celebrity Meghan and I make not apologies for it) And this is a prefect example of royaling. Stylish, flattering, designed for a pregnant woman and easy to spot between the navy suits.
    I hope she did a Kate and ordered the original white dress too, because I think that would be awesome for a Trooping or Garter service.

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  65. Jackie Kennedy Onassi carried gloves and so did Princess Grace. It just sends a msg of full fashion and elegance without having to put the gloves on. No big deal at all and yes, on this blog, we can give constructive and fair debate. The Duchess of Sussex looks lovely, IMO, in every way.

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  66. I can. Hardly wait to comment I love this look so much! It totally reminds me of Kate’s first pregnancy wardrobe with George - 60’s viintage inspired and knee length to offset the bump by showing beautiful legs. The perfect classic proportions! And such a chic look from Valentino. Meghan looks great in any collor, and I am just so impressed with Her proportion game, no Victorian ruffles or hose. Everything she wears is sexy and appropriate and ageless and super fresh I’m so excited!

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  67. Lots of you are commenting on their body language etc., just wanted to say that I think this is a very different visit than what they are used to. Normally we see them at charity events and when they step out they are greeted with warm smiles, hugs and friendly kisses, here they are entering into a situation where the government has had troubles and they treating this diplomatic visit very seriously. This is not really a grand tour to introduce Meghan either.... it is purely for diplomatic relations. You can tell the seriousness by the formality of their greeting. I just think for months the pair have been used to being greeted by children and it’s far different here. Also I wonder if W and K will take more of a stay back at the headquarters and lead while they send H and M on diplomatic missions??? Sort of like the Queen has done. I think this time Harry needs to take a more mature serious stance and they both did a fantastic job in the entrance, I was cringing hoping Meghan would not reach for him or hold her stomach. She really needs to show the world what she can do, could not ask for more in the looks and beauty department, now she needs to shine with impeccable strength and grace, I hope she reads this because right now she needs to show the doubters how much strength and grace she has. And I am sorry but some of her A lister friends are tacky and they will pull her down if she isn’t careful. She really needs to rise above them. I am reading the book Jackie, Janet and Lee and Jackie and tacky didn’t mix...

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  68. Perfect, just perfect.

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  69. Very well put together look. Best of the pregnant period.

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  70. Love this whole look, so classic and the red color looks gorgeous on Duchess Meghan. Prince Harry looks so handsome as well, his suit is beautiful and looks amazing on him.

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  71. Wow, Meghan is breathtakingly beautiful! Absolutely stunning dress.

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  72. Love, love, love that red dress--everything about it. She looks wonderful in red! Is it silk?

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  73. The Duchess looks lovely in red. Really great colour on her. Sadly, this dress is a real miss for me,( so 80's, I guess ) as is the price tag of that clutch, and I never comment on price. However, the cost of the cltuch is positively ludicrous considering we are likely never to see it again. ( I'm scratching my head to imagine what else this could possibly be worn with!?) and it was on show for 20 minutes in the dark. The entire outfit said "French" instead of English or Moracco. ) Coming off the heels of the bad press with the "expensive baby shower," ( although I had NO problem at all, with that) this just frankly doesnt read well to me. I know the poor Duchcess cant win for losing right now- and I really do feel dreadful for saying this- esp. as she got home from NYC and turned right back around to get to this trip, but sometimes, it may pay to just " read the public temperature" a bit better? Meanwhile, I'll " hope" that bag will become a wardrobe staple- or we'll at least see it once more. I do wish them a wonderful trip- Looks like Sunday's been a success so far! Wonderful. Please tell me off if I'm out of line for saying this. Happy to be proven wrong!

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    1. I have decided I don’t like the concept of arrival outfits. The pressure is on the ladies to really bring it and set the satorial tone for the tour. But most often you literally just see them for a couple of minutes which makes it hard to justify the cost.

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  74. A real maternity dress! Lovely.

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  75. Tammy from California24 February 2019 at 19:39

    She looks beautiful. Harry looks pretty serious in these. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing him look this serious before.

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  76. Meghan in red...*chef's kiss*

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  77. An actual maternity dress! Lovely. Is she supposed to have covered legs in a Muslim country?

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  78. I was born in the 40's so grew up always wearing gloves to church (white) and later to dances, proms & fancy dinners. We would always buy the best quality we could afford. I continued to wear gloves to different occasions to match my outfits or just carry. Still have several pair of very nice leather and my favorite pink suede which I still love. I commented before about Meghan walking behind Harry at this event. Wondered if that was the custom for women to walk behind the man. Thankfully, he was just inspecting the guard, but it seemed an uncomfortable moment for her. Absolutely, love her dress.

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  79. She looks lovely! This color is really great on her. I was a little put off with her having to stand back while Harry walked that red carpet, but I understand through the comments that inspecting the guard is something pretty formal. Still, it seems very dismissive of his wife.

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  80. So beautyfull women, princes etc.





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Welcome to Mad About Meghan! We do so look forward to reading your thoughts. Constructive, fair debate is always encouraged. Hateful, derogatory terms and insults are not welcome here. This space focuses on Harry and Meghan, not any other member of the Royal family. It's not the place to discuss politics either. Thank you for reading, we look forward to your comments :)