On the surface level, these are practical choices. When going on a de-facto royal tour, it makes sense to re-wear the (very expensive) investment clothing one purchased for previous ones. However, on a deeper level—from the “Windsor” dress to the demure Carolina Herrera—Markle is certainly evoking her days as a working, full-fledged royal through her clothing.
Whether or not that is intentional remains to be seen. But it’s not a bad idea. For all the criticism that has swirled the Sussexes, none of it has ever been about their ability to represent themselves abroad: their international appearances as working royals attracted crowds in the tens of thousands and an avalanche of positive press. When Harry reflected on their 2018 tour of Australia on Oprah Winfrey, he said how “effortless it was for Meghan to come into the family so quickly in Australia and across New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga, and just be able to connect with people.”
“She was welcomed into the family not just by the family, but by the world,” he added.
In fact, the Nigeria visit is a reminder of what the royals lost: a diverse couple that can connect with a tremendous amount of people of all ages, countries, and ethnicities. During her women in leadership event, Meghan powerfully opened up about the recent discovery that she is 43 percent Nigerian to Director-General of the W.T.O Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. “Being African-American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage or background, where you come from specifically,” she said. “It’s been really eye-opening and humbling to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know, this is just the beginning of that discovery.” The room broke into applause. Meanwhile, Prince Harry—a veteran himself—visited injured soldiers Reference Hospital in Kaduna. He cracked jokes and made small talk about football matches, while also encouraging them to participate in the Invictus Games (his bi-annual tournament for wounded service people.) “You are going to get better, get back on your feet,” he told one.
Such positive and meaningful interactions are no doubt good for Meghan and Harry, who have recently struggled in the court of public opinion. In June 2023, after their rumored 200 million dollar Spotify deal fell through, many wondered what exactly their future was if they couldn’t continue talking about their experience with the British monarchy.