Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have had a big week. Of course, Markle gave birth to the couple's first child early Monday morning. And today they introduced him to the world—and the queen. "It’s magic," the Duchess of Sussex said of motherhood, during her first public appearance. "It’s pretty amazing. I have the best two guys in the world, so I’m really happy."
Unlike many new moms, who two days postbirth might be found in the comfiest clothes they can find, royals have some different expectations placed upon them. While the Sussexes opted for a private photo call at Windsor Castle—as opposed to the hospital steps, à la Kate Middleton—for the first glimpse of their newborn son, it still required Markle to get all dressed up for the moment. And she looked amazing, opting for both a go-to designer and a personal favorite style.
The Duchess of Sussex wore a belted white trench dress. Though many speculated it was by Givenchy (designer Claire Waight Keller famously created her wedding gown, plus many other custom looks for special occasions), royal reporters confirmed it was actually by Grace Wales Bonner.
Grace Wales Bonner was a surprising choice—not just because the duchess has never worn it, but because it's a brand that primarily does menswear.
The silhouette is one fans will recognize. Markle has proven to be a fan of the trench-style dress. In April 2018 she wore one from Altuzarra to attend the Commonwealth Youth Forum; then, in July of that year, she donned one by Nonie to visit the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition.
It makes a ton of sense that Markle would opt to wear something she feels comfortable in—and if that's a belted trench dress, so be it. She finished off the look with a pair of Manolo Blahnik heels and a Jennifer Meyer necklace, both of which are shoppable.
Markle's Grace Wales Bonner dress was reportedly made especially for her, which falls in line with another unofficial royal tradition: For all three of her birth announcements, Middleton has worn custom dresses by Jenny Packham, who has outfitted her many times over the years.
On social media some remarked on how great it was that Markle made no attempt to hide her postbaby bump. (No, that doesn't disappear the moment the child is born.) "I know nothing about being pregnant but I enjoy the fact that Meghan Markle is showing off her post-baby bump so prominently with that belted dress," one user tweeted. "It feels like she’s sending a really nice body positive message to new moms everywhere with this choice and I’m here for it."
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While some questioned her decision to wear a white dress so soon after giving birth, one thing's for certain: The new mom is glowing.
