The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are back in “royal” tour mode—but this time, on their own terms. The couple touched down in Nigeria this week for a 72-hour visit, and their wardrobe choices thus far have spoken volumes. Exhibit A: Meghan’s virtually backless dress for a trip to the Jewels Leading Lights Academy in Abuja on Friday that felt much more American Riviera Orchard than House of Windsor; the blush silk design is, in fact, from a 2018 collection by Heidi Merrick, a go-to label for the Duchess in recent months. (The California lifestyle brand is also responsible for her sundress at the polo in Miami.) Paired with vintage Lanvin earrings and her other jewelry signatures (namely, Cartier’s Tank watch and Love bracelet), the look felt simultaneously polished and relaxed.
For their second engagement on Friday, on the other hand, Harry and Meghan made it clear that, while they may no longer be senior “working” royals, they haven’t forgotten the etiquette drilled into them when dispatched to Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand by the late Queen in the wake of their 2018 wedding. Although it’s traditionally left to female members of the royal family to pay tribute to their host country, the Sussexes delivered a fashion double act: the Duchess slipped into a snow-white Altuzarra suit (first worn in Sydney during her pregnancy with Archie), while the Duke appeared in teal-green tailoring, comprising a joint nod to the colors of the Nigerian flag.