After touching down in Wellington, New Zealand on Sunday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had another action-packed schedule, before making quick changes to attend a reception at Government House in the evening. For the special event, Meghan dressed in a gorgeous black gown by Gabriela Hearst, which she teamed with a traditional Maori design necklace. The mum-to-be teamed her outfit with a co-ordinating clutch and strappy heels, and wore her long, brunette hair down in loose waves. As ever, Meghan looked radiant with a natural makeup look and smoky eyes. The event was hosted by Governor-General Patsy Reddy, and attended by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, as well as leader of the opposition Simon Bridges.
Meghan Markle wore a gorgeous gown to the state reception on Sunday
The reception celebrated 125 years since women started voting, with New Zealand being the first country in the world to give women a vote. Meghan gave an empowering speech during the evening, telling guests: "The achievements of the women of New Zealand who campaigned for their right to vote, and were the first in the world to achieve it, are universally admired. In looking forward to this very special occasion, I reflected on the importance of this achievement, but also the larger impact of what this symbolises.
Because yes - women's suffrage is about feminism, but feminism is about fairness."
Meghan gave a speech at the reception
This isn’t the first time that Meghan has chosen to wear Gabriela Hearst this month. Ahead of the royal tour, the Duchess paid a visit to Sussex – her namesake county – carrying a bag by the designer. The forest green, satin tote design sold out almost immediately, and just like all the label's pieces, was made primarily from sustainable materials. Meghan is known to experiment with different designers, and throughout the royal tour so far, she has been seen wearing pieces from many of her go-to brands like Givenchy, Gucci and Club Monaco.
MORE: Meghan Markle bids farewell to Australia wearing burgundy Hugo Boss dress
The mum-to-be has also been choosing to wear designers from her host countries during the tour, as well as paying tribute to them through the colour of her outfits. On Tuesday at the state reception at Fiji, Meghan stepped out in her first royal gown – a SAFiYAA frock with a cape silhouette, which was Fijian Blue.
READ: Meghan Markle makes fashion faux pas as she accidentally leaves the label in Self-Portrait dress
The Duchess has mixed designer fashion with many high-street pieces during the royal tour,including a dress from & Other Stories and a maternity dress from ASOS, costing just £35. Proving that she's just like the rest of us, Meghan also got everyone talking earlier in the week when eagle-eyed fans spotted that she had left the label on her Self-Portrait dress when she touched down in Tonga on Thursday.
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