Rebel Meghan VS Regal Kate: An in-depth look into the royal tour fashion style

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have landed back in the UK following their ten-day tour of Southern African countries at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They were joined on the tour by their four-month-old son, Archie Harrison. They kicked off the tour by first visiting Cape Town, South Africa before moving onto Johannesburg. During the tour, Prince Harry also took a solo detour to Angola in Central Africa and Malawi, in East Africa while Meghan and Archie remained in South Africa. 

As all eyes were on Meghan’s wardrobe during the tour, with many calling it inspirational and humble. So how did her royal tour style compared to Kate’s?

A Fashion PR expert told Express.co.uk: “Meghan and Kate always look stunning when they are on tour. Their outfits are always carefully picked and are probably chosen far in advance. 

“For example, they always make sure to wear something from the country they are visiting, which not only shows a lot of respect to the country, but how dedicated they both are to their roles.”

Meghan Markle 

On the first day of the Royal tour, The Duchess of Sussex visited the Cape Town township of Nyanga donning a black and white African inspired print wrap dress by sustainable Malawian brand Mayamiko, which is now sold out online. 

By wearing the dress, she subtly honoured the continent she was visiting and celebrated African culture, while steering clear of being offensive, kitsch or called out for appropriation.

Her overall look was gorgeously styled yet thoughtful; she finished off the look with a pair of simple black high heeled espadrilles and a sleeked back ponytail. 

Throughout the tour, Meghan stuck to clean-cut silhouettes, shirt dresses or, a favourite of hers, the Banana Republic trench dress which she wore a number of different ways. 

For Meghan’s first solo mission in Cape Town, the Duchess opted for fashionable sleeveless jumpsuit by ethical brand Everlane and paired it with large gold earrings and black suede heels. The Duchess decided on natural makeup, with bronzed cheeks and matte nude lip and had her hair sleeked back in a tight low bun.

During the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s walk through the colourful streets of Bo-Kaap, Meghan wore a khaki floor-length shirt dress by vintage-inspired women’s clothing brand, Staud. Her chocolate coloured locks left down flowing naturally down her back. Pairing the outfit with some nude pumps the Duchess looked effortlessly chic as she walked hand in hand through the royal fan lined streets with Prince Harry. 

Amid her visit to ActionAid in Johannesburg, Meghan decided to wear a casual green shirt dress by Room 502 , pairing the outfit with some contrasting sophisticated black stilettos. The Duchess also chose to honour Cape Town jewellery brand Pichulik by wearing a pair of Labyrinth earrings which retail for £97.29. 

On her visit to to the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, in Cape Town – where she met with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Thandeka – the Duchess sported a sheer, summer dress by Club Monaco which retails at £368.52. Pairing it with some simple navy stilettos, tiny stud earrings and a tight hair bun.

A fan favourite – a dress which the Duchess has worn during her last royal tour – opted for a sleeveless maxi dress by Martin Grant, which retailed for £1,080. She wore some comfy looking espadrilles and minimal makeup. 

Previously, Meghan has come under fire for having a worn a £130,000 wardrobe during her last Commonwealth tour but contrasting to this, the Duchess’ wardrobe this time around is estimated to have cost only £9,000 – a cost cut by £121,000 by wearing some old favourites. 

Dominique St. John told Express.co.uk Meghan has an advantage when it comes to her wardrobe: “It is said that Meghan does not have a stylist, which could be seen as an advantage as she handpicks her clothes herself.”

Kate Middleton

The Duchess of Cambridge has been on a number of Royal tours and her style is a little bit different to that of sister-in-law Meghan’s.

Kate has been to 32 countries, and will be embarking on another Royal tour later this month to Pakistan with Prince William. 

The Duchess is a fashion icon herself, and she is known for incorporating different cultures when visiting other countries into her outfits. Her style is more conservative, feminine and diplomatic than Meghan’s; she wears what is expected of a future Queen of England, with her own personal touch. 

Fashion stylist Melita Latham told Express.co.uk: “Kate’s fashion after marriage is still a royal transformation in progress.

“Her conservative style is more apparent now than ever before. She also pays her respects in the form of her clothing choices that allow us to remember Princess Diana which is a very honourable thing to do by Kate.”

Often nicknamed “Thrifty Kate,” Prince William’s wife has been lauded for wearing relatively inexpensive high street garments from Reiss and Whistles.

Melita said: “Kate isn’t afraid to rewear outfits from prior to getting married. Whether married or not, if you like an outfit you will wear it more than once, that’s what we all do.”

Kate’s 2017 Royal tour to Germany and Poland definitely didn’t disappoint fans. She dazzled in a number of outfits, donning all of her favourite high-street and high-end brands  – from Alexander McQueen to Zara – the Duchess knows how to make a statement without having to splash the cash. 

Kate is well known for her diplomatic dressing, on her first day in Warsaw, Poland, Kate chose to wear a white and red – the colours of Poland – in a subtle and sartorial tribute to the country. Kate looked fabulous in a chic crisp white Alexander McQueen coat, which featured a feminine V-neckline and flattering peplum waist, and she carried a bold red Jenny Packham ‘Case’ clutch. 

During her stay in Poland, the Duchess paid tribute to a local Polish fashion designer Gosia Bacynska, who is famed for her contemporary forces and has been dubbed the ‘Tsarina of the Polish fashion scene’ 

When visiting Berlin, the entire Cambridge family stepped out in blue. The Duchess wore a cobalt coat by Catherine Walker in cornflower blue, the same colour as the flower of Germany. 

With reference to her diplomatic dressing, the duchess continued to step out in outfits that were red and yellow, colours part of the German flag.

In 2016, when the Duchess was touring India, Kate carefully selected outfits which paid tribute to the country. She wore a floor-length blue polkadot chiffon dress by Indian designer Saloni, and a stylish pink and green mid-length dress by Indian designer Anita Dongre as she played cricket. 

Meanwhile back in 2015, Kate wore a memorable Jenny Packman gown during her first state banquet at Buckingham Palace. Kate honoured the Queen’s guests, Chinese president Zi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, by choosing to wear red, the national colour of China.