Meghan Markle paid touching TRIBUTE to Princess Diana
Meghan’s touching tribute to Diana: Pregnant duchess honours the late princess by donning her bracelet and butterfly earrings as she joins Harry on their first day of outings in Australia
Duchess of Sussex wore jewellery that belonged to Princess Diana on Tuesday
Pregnant Meghan, 37, sported the late princess’ bracelet and earrings
Diana wore the earrings in Canada in 1986 and the bracelet in London in 1990
Meghan wowed in a £1,000 white dress by Australian designer Karen Gee
The Duchess of Sussex sported a pair of earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana as she joined husband Prince Harry on the first day of their Australian royal tour on Tuesday.
The delicate jewel encrusted studs, first worn by Diana in Canada in May 1986, perfectly complimented Meghan’s chic £1,000 (AUD $1,800) white dress by Australian designer Karen Gee.
In another subtle nod to her husband’s mother, Meghan, 37, donned a gold bracelet that also belonged to Diana.
The mother-to-be later changed into a £1,700 khaki shirt dress by American designer Brandon Maxwell as she joined Harry for an afternoon reception.
A spokeswoman for the brand said: ‘We’re all like proud mothers right now. We’re super excited’.
Karen Gee herself added: ‘[I’m] so proud, particularly because I am not a world recognised brand’.
The dress worn by the Duchess was an elegant ivory style that fell just below the knee and featured a ‘simple, structured fit’, as well as a ‘sleek silhouette’.
It also retails in ink navy and black.
Meghan’s blossoming bump was only just visible beneath the dress, which she paired with her trademark sleek blow dry and nude stilettos.
Sydney-based Karen Gee started her business five years ago, with products offering women the chance to customise dresses to their body shape.
A favourite of local television presenters, her designs have quickly risen to fame in Australia.
However, the exposure of being chosen by the Duchess on a day when she created headlines worldwide with her pregnancy news meant the fashion brand saw demand soar.
Karen Gee reportedly revealed that she sent several pieces to Kensington Palace for consideration for the visit.
However, she was bound by a confidentiality agreement that she couldn’t reveal any of the details.
Speaking to Seven News, she said: ‘[I’ve received] a lot of texts. Both from Sydney and from Queensland, because I’m originally from there. It’s super exciting.’
She also highlighted that the exposure has drawn attention to the brand’s ‘vision and purpose’.
‘For Meghan to choose Karen Gee on the first day of the tour is just super exciting.’
The 37-year-old royal was expected to wear a number of Australian designers during the local leg of the tour to Sydney, Melbourne and Fraser Island off the Queensland coast.
The brands considered most likely to be featured included Zimmermann, Camilla and Marc, Scanlan & Theodore, Dion Lee and Alex Perry.
Alongside this, Meghan wore butterfly earrings first worn by Princess Diana on the royal tour in Canada in 1986, as well as her gold bracelet.
The Princess of Wales was seen wearing the jewels during a trip to Canada with Prince Charles in May 1986.
The appearance occurred a year and a half after Diana gave birth to Prince Harry.
For those who want to get a little of the Duchess’ style for less than purchasing the genuine item, there were very similar white and ivory shift dresses available for under $100.
The Iconic had several options around the $70 mark, all of which featured the scalloped neckline worn by Meghan.
Alternatively, international website Boohoo was selling a simple white shift dress for just $15, while Showpo had an option for $70.
UK-based royal favourite, LK Bennett, also offers a sleeved white shift dress.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex looked refreshed after their Monday rest day following the long flight to Australia, and began the official engagements of their tour just hours after revealing their joyous baby news.
The mother and father-to be began at Admiralty House, the harbour-side Sydney residence of the Governor-General of Australia, where they stayed on Monday night to begin their 16-day visit.
The couple were formally welcomed to Australia by the Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and his wife, Lady Cosgrove, on the lawns of the historic building, which offered spectacular views across Sydney Harbour.
From there, they visited Taronga Zoo to open a new science centre and meet some local wildlife, including koalas and echidnas.
They then took a boat for the short trip across the harbour to meet the public on forecourt of the Opera House.
The royal couple arrived on Monday on a Qantas A380 flight from London via Singapore.
Meghan, wearing skinny black pants and a black, burgundy trimmed coat, was smiling and clutching folders, while Harry gave a thumbs up to bystanders.
The couple was due to spend a week in Australia, the Duchess of Sussex’s first ever trip to the country, before jetting to Fiji on October 23 where they will spend two days.
On Sunday, October 28 they will cross the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, visiting Wellington, the Abel Tasman National Park, Auckland and Rotorua before heading home on Wednesday, October 31.
Source: DAILYMAIL MAILONLINE
