Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was never going to commit fashion faux pas on day one of the royal tour of Australia with Prince Harry.
But just how right she would get it was the topic of speculation among fashion and royal watchers for days, if not weeks.
Which Australian designer would she wear to the opening engagement at Admiralty House, and whether she would wear exclusively Australian designers on the trip, as well as how else she would make her mark as a fashion icon, were all considered.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in the ivory Karen Gee dress that crashed the company’s website several times on Tuesday. Credit:AAP
Since announcing she is pregnant with her and Prince Harry's first baby on Monday night, the topic of "bump watch" added a new twist to the fashion speculation.
At 9am on Tuesday, the answers began to reveal themselves, as the Duchess stepped out in an ivory shift dress by Sydney designer Karen Gee, with just the right hint of baby bump on show.
Meghan changed into a dress by US designer Brandon Maxwell for the afternoon reception at Admiralty House where she met singer Missy Higgins among others.Credit:AP
By choosing a fitted dress, Meghan gave the press the money shot of the burgeoning bump they wanted. And by choosing a slightly under-the-radar designer, Meghan showed she is committed to supporting not just the "top tier" Australian designers but is keen to elevate hard working, female talent that with one appearance has gone from niche brand to household name.
Speaking to Fairfax Media, Gee said she was "so proud, particularly because I am not a world-recognised brand". Well, that's about to change, with Gee's website crashing and the $1800 dress seemingly now on back order for months.
Meghan choosing Gee, a mother of five and only five years in business, was a feminist masterstroke.
Prince Harry and Meghan on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.Credit:AAP
While Gee had to observe a confidentiality agreement about the process through which her dress reached Meghan and her team, I wouldn't be surprised if each designer who submitted pieces also had to submit a bio or statement explaining why they are a good fit for Meghan.
Meghan choosing Gee, a mother of five and only five years in business, was a feminist masterstroke.
Describing her feelings about seeing Meghan in her dress on Tuesday, Gee said: "That's how the brand was founded – that women should all feel special and confident, and Meghan believes in that and [she] is beautiful."
Competition is fierce among designers to have their garment showcased on the royal tour, such is the "Meghan effect" that all but guarantees a spike in sales of the garment and for the brand as a whole, especially in new markets likely to be watching such as Canada and the United States.
But it seems that Meghan is also keen to choose Australian designers whose stories are aligned with the principles by which she lives her life and is forging her individual identity in the royal family: as a champion of women and women-led causes.
In a sentimental choice, Meghan teamed the dress with butterfly earrings and a bangle that belonged to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. The pieces were reportedly a gift from Harry when they learnt they were expecting their first child, which will arrive in the northern spring.
We also learnt that Meghan is sassy but also sensible, slipping on a bone-coloured trench to face the nippy Sydney weather, and a change from her Stuart Weitzman heels to flats for the ferry ride to Taronga Zoo.
Later in the day, Meghan slipped into a Brandon Maxwell shirt dress for a reception at Admiralty House. The dress by the US designer who used to be Lady Gaga's stylist, struck the perfect balance befitting an occasion of its "casual formality".
It also helped answer one of the questions on people's minds about whether Meghan will wear only Australian designers during the trip, or mix it up with some of her favourites.
Either way, with 70 engagements over the coming days of the trip, which also takes in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, fashion watchers are in for a treat – and a few surprises.
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