The Duchess of Sussex looked radiant on Thursday on her royal tour with her husband Prince Harry. The couple attended a welcome reception and dinner in Tonga with His Majesty King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau-u, the former actress wowing in a stunning white gown by New York designer Theia and Snowflake Snowstorm Diamond earrings by Birks. While we were of course transfixed by the pregnant royal's beautiful dress and jewellery, there was something else about her appearance which caught our attention: Meghan's extremely shiny arms. On closer look, the Duchess is clearly wearing insect repellent on her skin to protect herself from mosquitos.
The regions of Fiji and Tonga have a moderate risk of the Zika virus, which is known to be dangerous to pregnant women and can cause health problems in unborn babies. Meghan will be mindful of this during her trip and appears to be doing all she can to minimise the risk. It is thought the royal is using a natural insect repellent, possibly citronella, to fend off mosquitoes. We have also seen the Duchess wear several dresses with long sleeves to protect her arms. Loose fitting clothing is believed to keep mosquitoes at bay rather than tight outfits.
Dr Preethi Daniel, the Clinical Director at London Doctors Clinic, said of the precautions Meghan should be taking: "The Duchess of Sussex would, of course, have taken the appropriate advice prior to travel but there are several simple things she can do to protect herself. While she must look glamorous and politically appropriate at all official engagements, avoiding mosquito bites means she should stick to indoor events between dawn and dusk."
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The doctor shared other methods Meghan could use to protect herself from Zika risks - many of which she appears to be doing. "The Duchess should consider wearing long sleeve tops and trousers, remembering that ankles and neck are at risk too! She can protect these exposed areas by using mosquito repellant which is safe during pregnancy," she said. "DEET is the most effective agent but natural eucalyptus oil could also do the trick, just not as well as DEET. A chemical call permethrin can be sprayed onto clothing (not directly onto the skin). Sleeping in air-conditioned rooms is advisable, but of course, this is the Duchess we are speaking of!"
In the lead up to the tour, HELLO!'s royal correspondent Emily Nash wrote of the possible risk to Meghan, saying: "For those asking, there is no change to the tour programme and the couple have taken medical advice about the Zika risk in the Pacific Islands." However, Meghan did not attend the Colo-i-Suva forest site or the Fiji War Memorial in Suva, as it was already planned that Harry would be visiting the two events solo.
We expect to see Meghan in more loose-fitting long-sleeved outfits during the remainder of the royal tour, with a good layer of insect repellent as a health precaution.
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