Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, didn’t have an easy time during her years in The Firm. So, it’s no surprise she ditched the pantyhose, hung up the jaunty hats, and let her hair down following Megxit in March 2020. It didn’t take long for her to regain her mojo, reclaim her wardrobe, and pick her own outfits once again. And there’s no escaping how much Meghan’s style has changed since leaving the royal family — sometimes for the better, other times? Not so much.

There are an insufferable number of strict rules the royal family has to follow. Aristocrats are taught to sit, talk, walk, and even wave in specific ways, abide by antiquated protocols for interacting with the public, and, of course, adhere to meticulous style standards. 

As an actor, Meghan was used to dressing to impress. She was a red carpet regular with a stable of stylists, ensuring she never put a fashionable foot wrong. But after becoming engaged to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, royal dress codes dictated what Meghan could and couldn’t wear. And if she dared step out of line, the stuffy aristocracy and British tabloids pounced. However, Meghan can now flaunt her shoulders and flash some thigh without fear of repercussions. That’s not to say she always hits the right note, though. From a zebra print cut-out fail to a frame-swamping coat to a frumpy floral cape, we’re ranking Meghan’s worst outfits of 2024.

FIVE: Meghan’s body swamping caramel coat

Karwai Tang/Getty Images

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was on point with the 2024 oversized coat trend when she stepped out with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Michael Bublé, and his wife, Luisana Lopilato, in February. But she took it to the nth degree with a cape that totally swamped her body, resulting in her proportions being thrown out of whack. And it transpires the outfit’s price tag was equal in size to its proportions. Meghan’s Sentaler caramel cape cost a whopping $1,071. She paired it with a pair of $1,195 CO riding boots.

The four dined at Vij’s in Vancouver, Canada, feasting on kebabs, two different kinds of curry, black chickpea cakes, rice, and naan bread, washed down with cocktails. According to chef patron Vikram Vij, Meghan and Harry were the epitome of love’s young dream.

“They were extremely affectionate towards each other. [Meghan] always had her left hand on his back … and always said very politely ‘my husband’ or ‘Oh, he loves this dish,’ or ‘He loves this curry or this style,'” Vij told People. “You could see the positivity in their relationship, the love, the affection that they have. The fun that they were having with Michael and Michael Bublé’s wife Lu.”

FOUR: Meghan’s gappy shirt and frumpy skirt

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In August, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, went from over to under-sized during her Colombia trip with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. The former actor-turned-Hollywood hotshot is renowned for wearing ill-fitting outfits, and her Mango “Paula” sleeveless cotton shirt was a classic example. The top appeared to be at least one size too small, gaping at the front as it stretched over her chest. It didn’t get much better from the waist down. Meghan’s $1,390 Silvia Tcherassi Blair sequined floral midi skirt was more frumpy than fab.

She paired the look with bright magenta Manolo Blahnik BB suede pumps and gold fan earrings that were a gift from Colombia’s Vice President Francia Márquez. Meghan and Harry hung out with Márquez and the country’s Minister of National Education, Aurora Vergara Figueroa, to attend the Afro Women and Power Forum at the Municipal Theater in Cali.

Meghan’s outfit was decidedly underwhelming, but she still managed to wow the crowds by taking to the stage and busting out with Spanish — albeit haltingly. “The embrace from Colombia has been incredible,” she said to cheers from the audience. “It’s incredible. Thank you very, very much.” Colombians were thrilled that Meghan made the effort to communicate in their language. “Hearing Meghan speaking Spanish in my country is so special,” a fan captioned a video clip.

THREE: Meghan’s shoulder slipping zebra cut-out

The Telegraph/YouTube

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, made waves while visiting Nigeria in May — not always for the right reasons. Meghan took a variety of colorful outfits with her, fitting with the vibrant African wax prints favored by many locals. In addition, she championed clothes made by local designers, such as the gorgeous Orire red dress she wore to the Women in Leadership panel.

However, some of Meghan’s outfit choices placed her under the spotlight. One example was the strappy, sleeveless silk Johanna Ortiz zebra print dress she wore on day two of the trip to watch a Nigeria Unconquered sitting volleyball game with Harry. It had a diamond-shaped cutout below the bralette-style top, with a sky-high thigh-flashing slit in the front. In typical Meghan fashion, it also didn’t fit properly, forcing her to continually pull the strap back up as it fell off her shoulder. Given that Nigeria is a majority Muslim country, Meghan’s outfits could be perceived as inappropriate and disrespectful. “Women may want to wear loose-fitting clothing that covers their shoulders and knees, such as maxi dresses or skirts paired with tops,” Nigerian Guardian recommends. There were definitely plenty of social media fashion police who believed Meghan committed a fashion felony.

“Respect your host country and your body shape!” a commenter on X admonished Meghan, claiming, “I understand this is already a talking point in Nigeria, and I’m not sure she’ll be invited back.”

TWO: Meghan’s McKinsey Collection cape

@matheoscoelho/Instagram

Nobody could accuse Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, of wearing an immodest outfit to host a special viewing at The Kinsey Collection art exhibit with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on March 21. Taking things to the other extreme, her $3,790 floral-embroidered Carolina Herrera two-tiered wool and cashmere cape was voluminous, to say the least, and way more frumpy than flirty. Still, given the circumstances, it’s probably right that the focus should have been on the artwork rather than the outfit.

Meghan worked the room hard to ensure the event was a success. One of the attendees raved about how warm, friendly, and down-to-earth she, Harry, and their guests were. “There were so many amazing people that I met in Hollywood—these were the most caring, kind-hearted, and special individuals,” screenwriter Matheos Coelho captioned a carousel of pics from the night.

However, Sussex detractors slammed the couple for being so happy and cheery, given the event fell on the night before Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced her cancer diagnosis. “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace,” Harry and Meghan said in a statement following the big reveal.

ONE: Meghan’s cup half full plunge dress

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Meghan Markle was back in flesh-flashing form when she attended the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala 2024 at JW Marriott LA Live in October. Unfortunately, she was also back in ill-fitting form thanks to her unfortunate outfit. 

Given her sunny California vibe, you’d expect Meghan to be a “glass half full” kind of gal. However, her stunning red Carolina Herrera plunge column gown indicated otherwise. The dress’ bra cups were way too large, resulting in a glass half-empty look that resembled a couple of semi-deflated balloons.

Social media fashion police wasted no time at all in issuing their outfit atrocity arrest warrants. “Giiiirl that dress gotta go. Would’ve looked nice if fitted properly on the chest. Or maybe would’ve put a couple of socks in it,” one Instagram officer critiqued. “Awful dress, not very flattering, she needed a smaller size on top, not a good look for a children’s charity event,” another sniped. “One actually needs a bust to wear a design like this……(I’m actually shocked she’s not wearing her usually boring beige or black),” a third commented.

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