Meghan Markle vs Kate Middleton fashion wars: How conflict over fashion industry contacts sparked tension in their relationship early on

Long before their relationship famously deteriorated amid a row over bridesmaids’ dresses, it was another fashion crisis that caused tension in Meghan Markle’s relationship with the Princess of Wales. 

Prince Harry himself explained the ill feeling in his memoir Spare, saying that Meghan had raised a ‘misunderstanding’ with Kate, while trying to unpick why the two couples weren’t getting along.

Explaining Meghan’s theory, he said: ‘Kate thought Meg had wanted her fashion contacts. But Meg had her own. They’d got off on the wrong foot perhaps?’

It’s a detail that’s easily forgotten after much bigger rows came to light, such as Meghan accusing Kate of being cold towards her, while the future Queen was insulted by her sister-in-law’s remarks about her ‘baby brain’.  

However, it’s certainly been cast in a new light with this week’s announcement that Sarah Burton, the designer behind Kate’s wedding dress, has been appointed as the creative director of Givenchy.

The French fashion house designed Meghan Markle’s bridal gown when Clare Waight Keller was at the helm, and the label quickly became a staple of her wardrobe throughout her brief royal career.

Now, with Kate’s close collaborator taking the reins, it poses the intriguing question – will the Princess become the design house’s next muse when she makes her return to public duties?

It would certainly be a sting for Meghan, who revived Diana’s approach to fashion by re-introducing the glamour of French couture to royal engagements.

While Kate’s royal wardrobe, in her early years in the royal family, was largely defined by ‘safe’ British designers such as Emilia Wickstead and Catherine Walker with the odd high end label mixed in, Meghan went straight to Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Dior – and of course, Givenchy. 

In another twist, Claire Waight Keller was this week unveiled as the new creative director of the Japanese brand Uniqlo. 

Therefore, if Meghan’s loyalty remains with the designer rather than the fashion house, her wardrobe will be rather more casual than couture. 

Whatever the outcome, it’s just one of many fashion rivalries between the two women that have continued despite living thousands of miles apart. 

Here, we reveal all the designers caught in the royal fashion wars.  

Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen is one of Kate’s go-to brands.

The royal, of course, chose Sarah Burton, then Alexander McQueen’s creative director, to design her wedding dress in 2011. 

Kate wore McQueen at a public engagement for the first time after her wedding at a BAFTA reception in LA in 2011 opting for a floor-length lilac gown, which she later re-wore at the 2021 Earthshot Prize Awards. 

Since then, Kate has frequently worn outfits from the British fashion house for significant events, international tours, and even Harry and Meghan’s wedding. 

This collaboration not only cements Kate as a style icon but also promotes British fashion globally, showcasing the brand’s lasting impact on the industry. 

Meghan has occasionally worn McQueen, once choosing a £1,980 LBD for the premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013.

In recent years, she has only added one more look – a black trouser suit – to her wardrobe, which she has worn on several occasions. 

Her first appearance in this £1,820 suit was at the 2018 Endeavour Fund Awards in London – the same night Kate wore a custom Alexander McQueen gown for a palace dinner in Norway. 

However, McQueen was always so closely associated with Kate that Meghan largely steered clear of the designer during her time as a working royal.  

Givenchy

Meghan has consistently chosen Givenchy, designed by Clare Waight Keller, for a number of significant royal firsts. 

She began this tradition with her wedding day in 2018, where she made a memorable entrance at St George’s Chapel in a bateau-necked silk gown. 

At the time, Waight Keller was relatively unknown, making the choice quite unexpected. 

For her first solo engagement with Queen Elizabeth in June 2018, Meghan wore a Givenchy caped pencil dress.

The brand also created the shirt dress that Meghan wore to her first Royal Ascot, along with a stylish co-ord for her inaugural international trip with Prince Harry to Ireland that July.

Additionally, Givenchy outfitted the Duchess in a £2,510 velvet dress for her first event at the Royal Academy of Arts, and during her major royal tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. 

It will be interesting to see whether Meghan remains loyal to Clare Waight Keller following her recent move to Uniqlo, which could mean a shift to a more casual aesthetic in the future.

In contrast, Kate Middleton’s sole Givenchy item is a pair of oversized sunglasses, worn at Wimbledon in 2012 and a polo match in 2014.

Although she has upped the number of high-end designer labels in her wardrobe in recent years, other than a smattering of Chanel, she’s largely steered clear of the big French couturiers.  

Erdem 

Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are admirers of Erdem Moralioglu, who launched his eponymous brand in 2005. 

Meghan developed a fondness for Erdem clothing during her acting career, as evidenced by two dresses she wore before starting a relationship with Prince Harry in 2016.

But once she became a member of the Firm, her sister-in-law Kate is reported to have been given precedence in chosing designs because she was also a long-time client.

Since 2011, the Princess has been spotted wearing 16 memorable Erdem ensembles, including 12 dresses, one suit, two coats and two jumpers.

Notably, in 2018, she wore a distinctive bouclé-tweed dress, with a sweeping neckline and fluted hem, to the opening of the V&A Photography Centre at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

This mid-length dress was from Erdem’s SS18 collection, which honoured Queen Elizabeth II, particularly her 1958 meeting with American jazz pianist Duke Ellington.

Last year, Kate demonstrated her fashion credentials with a £5,388 floral jacquard suit at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey.

The striking peplum jacket and flared skirt, from the pre-autumn 2023 collection, were not available for purchase until months later.

Kate has also frequently re-worn her £650 ‘Lotus’ Breton sweater, which she debuted for a visit to her alma mater, St Andrews University, in 2021.

She also chose it when she bravely announced her cancer diagnosis in March.  

In contrast, Meghan showcased Erdem’s £1,260 ‘Davina’ dress on NBC’s Today Programme in January 2016, before it was available to the public – and prior to meeting Prince Harry.

She re-wore the bloomy silk organza mini dress to a Christmas luncheon at Buckingham Palace in 2018. 

Meghan also chose the £1,430 ‘Sebla’ dress, a knee-length scarlet piece made from floral silk crêpe de Chine, for a 2017 wedding in Jamaica.

However, as a royal, Meghan did not publicly wear the designer until March 2019, when she opted for a beaded bottle green coat, worth £4,252, while visiting Canada House on Commonwealth Day.

At the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019, she selected a 1930s-inspired black floral jacquard dress, priced at £2,795. 

The fact that dresses crafted by the British designer, who was born in Canada, were being handed to Kate first is said to have gone down badly with the Sussexes.

This led to Meghan allegedly saying that Kate ‘wasn’t even Queen’, according to The Telegraph.

Veronica Beard

This week, Kate chose a £615 ‘Castella’ floral dress by Veronica Beard for her moving video message to the nation announcing that she has finished her course of chemotherapy following her health crisis earlier this year.

It marked Kate’s first time wearing an outfit from the American designer, which has been in business since 2009. 

Meghan, in contrast, has been a long-time fan of Veronica Beard, having worn 16 different looks since March 2016. 

Meghan showcased a Veronica Beard striped two-piece on NBC’s The Today Show in 2016, pairing it with sky-high court shoes and a voluminous blowdry for an effortlessly glamorous look.

Another standout ensemble was a £470 cerulean blue shirt dress, during her trip to Tonga in 2016 with Prince Harry. 

She recycled the ‘Cary’ dress in 2019 while touring Southern Africa.

Most recently, Meghan marked her longstanding admiration for the designer, wearing a tailored navy co-ord during her trip to Colombia with Prince Harry. 

Emilia Wickstead

New Zealand-born fashion designer Emilia Wickstead, based in London, is undoubtedly one of Kate’s most beloved labels. 

The Princess has worn a total of 25 elegant looks by the British fashion house over the years. 

The brand’s £1,350 ‘Kate’ dress was even named after the royal, as a result of her repeat orders in 2018. 

Following her sister-in-law’s example, Meghan chose her first dress as an official member of the Royal Family from the same designer. 

She wore a £1,400 square neck fit-and-flare frock for a visit to Ireland in July 2018 with Prince Harry. The style was reminiscent of Kate’s preferred creations.

Later that year, Meghan wore a £1,595 custom wool-crepe dress by the New Zealand-born designer at the ANZAC War Memorial in Hyde Park.

Interestingly, she also turned to Emilia Wickstead for the last outfit she wore as a working royal.

At the 2020 Commonwealth Day service, Meghan made a memorable appearance in an emerald green dress with a dramatic asymmetric cape.

Roland Mouret 

Founded in London in 1998 by French-born designer Roland Mouret, this brand is celebrated for its iconic, era-defining silhouettes. 

Since introducing the £3,523 ‘Lombard’ gown by Roland Mouret in May 2012 during a private dinner at Claridge’s, Kate has worn seven pieces by the label, encompassing dresses, trousers and jackets.

Last year, the Princess was the epitome of elegance in a green pencil dress by Roland Mouret as she presented Carlos Alcaraz with the men’s singles final.

Later, in November, Kate showcased her chic burgundy trouser suit, for the third time, at the Shaping Us National Symposium reception held at the Design Museum.

Meghan has also worn exactly seven pieces by the designer – including four dresses, one pair of trousers, a skirt and a bag – since April 2018.

On the eve of her wedding day, the former Suits actress donned the £1,350 ‘Barwick’ dress as she arrived at Cliveden House Hotel with her mother Doria Ragland.

Meghan later wore a grey version of this dress, with the addition of a boat neck and long sleeves, for a visit to Ireland in July 2018.

At the 2019 Sentebale Fundraiser, the Duchess, who was five months pregnant with Archie, dazzled in a navy sequinned gown from the brand.

Roksanda

Kate Middleton first wore a Roksanda dress, an elegant blue-grey draped mini, in July 2011.

Since then, she has showcased four Roksanda frocks, with the highlight being the vibrant ‘Brigitte’ dress she wore to the 2022 Wimbledon Women’s Singles Final. 

She had previously worn the £1,095 design during her Caribbean tour with Prince William earlier that year. 

The dress, featuring a full skirt, fitted bodice, short sleeves and an elaborate fabric bow, was custom-made. 

Fashion designer Roksanda Ilinčić, originally from Serbia, debuted her eponymous brand at London Fashion Week in 2005 to critical acclaim.

Her designs have also caught the attention of Meghan, who wore the £1,850 ‘Athena’ dress for an engagement in Sydney, during her 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji in 2018 with Prince Harry.

This is the only occasion that Meghan has worn Roksanda. 

Aquazzura

Meghan’s passion for the luxury Italian footwear brand Aquazzura began long before she met Prince Harry. 

Established in 2012 by Edgardo Osorio, Aquazzura was not widely known when Meghan started wearing its shoes in 2014. 

Her collection now boasts 32 designs, including £490 suede ‘Matilde’ heels worn for her engagement photocall and a bespoke pair created for her 2018 wedding reception. 

Meghan’s most-worn style is the ‘Bow Tie’ in black, featuring a stiletto heel, cut-out detailing and playful bow.

She has selected these pumps for nine public occasions since joining the Royal Family. 

Meghan’s influence appears to have extended to Kate, who wore the same design twice in 2023, adding to her own collection of seven Aquazzura pairs. 

Missoma 

Kate has acquired two sets of earrings from the London-based brand Missoma, including the unique ‘Calima’ Chandelier Hoops, priced at £139.

Fans were delighted when Kate wore the distinctive design during her royal tour of Pakistan in October 2019. 

She later paired them with a sparkling Jenny Packham gown at the 2021 Royal Variety Performance.

But Missoma, which was founded in 2008 by Marisa Hordern, had piqued Meghan’s interest five years earlier.

The American actress was first seen wearing a Missoma ‘Maiya’ moonstone ring at New York Fashion Week in 2014. 

Since then, she has expanded her collection to include six rings, two bracelets and a necklace. 

Meghan notably stacked several of these delicate gold pieces during a visit to Sussex in October 2018 with Prince Harry.