One would think that as a member of the royal family, one could wear whatever footwear one chooses. Not so. The Duchess of Sussex may love her fashion but as part of the royal household, she must now adhere to strict style rules – and that includes her footwear. It seems that toes, however beautifully painted, are quite controversial. According to a new article in Harper's Bazaar, open-toed shoes are discouraged for formal royal outings, which let's face it, will be most of Meghan's public engagements. And when we think back, we can only recall a handful of occasions where the Duchess of Cambridge opted for a peep-toe sandal.
Etiquette expert William Hanson told the publication: "Open-toed shoes are considered informal footwear," adding that they are, "inappropriate for formal occasions". Not so great for Meghan on a hot day. Hanson also revealed that guests at the royal wedding were asked to wear closed-toe shoes.
Meghan in her sandal days back in 2016
He said: "Regardless of how relatively relaxed it was in the grand scheme and precedent of the British monarchy, May’s royal wedding was still a formal affair and so it was quite right that guests were asked to avoid wearing open-toed shoes." However some guests such as Chelsey Davy and Priyanka Chopra went against the request with their footwear choice and dared to show their toes.
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It's not just her shoes that Meghan has to be mindful of; there's a royal rule for tights too. The Duchess recently wowed in a dusty pink dress for Prince Charles' 70th birthday garden party at Buckingham Palace. It was a warm day but Meghan chose to wear sheer coloured tights with her outfit. Wearing tights has long been a requirement for female members of the royal family, and was implemented by the Queen.
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So it seems Meghan's fashion freewill isn't as free as we may have thought. Bet she wanders around the palace in flip flops!