The Powerful Meaning Behind Meghan Markle's $4,500 Purse

Meghan and Prince Harry were in Central Park for the Global Citizen Live show, a yearly concert dedicated to social justice. They were there — along with the likes of Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, and the band Coldplay – to promote vaccine equality and call for vaccination to be a natural right.

The concert was the biggest stop on a big trip for Meghan and Harry. They hadn’t been seen out and about after the arrival of Lilibet Diana, their second child, during the summer. Neither of the kids were with them, and this was very much a working trip. The couple’s itinerary began with the One World Observatory, followed by the 9/11 memorial.

The trip required many wardrobe changes for Meghan, and every one of them had to be pitch-perfect. Kate Middleton had stumbled during her own trip to the 9/11 memorial back in 2014, as she’d worn a pink coat that many felt wasn’t appropriate for such a solemn venue.

In contrast, Meghan wore dark colors. She was in navy from head to toe, and the website What Meghan Wore identified some of the pieces. Her sweater was the “Arianna” from the Giuliva Heritage brand. And her $650 shoes were the “Purist” by Aquazzura. She also had on a bracelet that observers were pretty sure bore the names of her children.

Meghan then changed ready for an engagement with the American ambassador to the U.N. She stuck with dark colors but threw a light-brown Max Mara coat on over her black dress from The Row. And surprise, surprise: the coat — a “Rispoli” style by the brand — sold out instantly.

The ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, later wrote on Twitter: “Wonderful meeting with Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Important discussion of COVID, racial justice, and raising mental health awareness.” So Meghan and Harry’s first big non-royal trip was going very well indeed — and there was more to come.

The Duchess dressed up in bright colors the following day, since she and Prince Harry were visiting a school. She went with an ensemble that was almost entirely from the brand Loro Piana — their “Guastella” sweater and “Antoine” pants paired with a red belt by the label. And her shoes, from Manolo Blahnik, were the same color.

This event was much more relaxed. The Duke and Duchess made a food donation and Meghan read to the students from her own kids’ book, The Bench. Before starting, she revealed to the second-graders, “I wrote this when we just had our little boy, and I haven’t read it to any other kids but you!”

Meghan was back in a camel coat again the next day for another meeting in the U.N. Of all the clothing items she took on the trip, her coats seemed to gain the most attention. Vogue magazine wrote on September 24, “Meghan Markle’s New York look is all about a great coat.”

But the big fashion showcase was the Global Citizen Live Festival. Meghan came in a chic black Dior coat and a grey-checked scarf, then as the show started she took them off to unveil a beautiful embellished white gown from Valentino. On her feet were some satin Gianvito Rossi shoes.

The fashion media delighted over Meghan’s fabulous little white dress. InStyle magazine wrote, “Following three fashion-filled days of seeing the sights and supporting her favorite causes, the duchess seemingly saved her best look for last at Global Citizen Live in Central Park.” And Glamour magazine said that Meghan “glowed.”

It was thrilling for fans of the Duchess to see her again after such a long period out of the spotlight. Her style choices seemed to have evolved since she’d been a working member of the British royals. The white mini-dress alone demonstrated that she’d gotten more chic, more modern, and more daring.

The last time that people had studied Meghan’s clothes so intently was during the interview she gave to Oprah in March 2021. The outfit for that event needed to be very carefully picked. The whole world would be watching as Meghan and Harry detailed their reasons for leaving the royal family.

Meghan definitely appeared to be sending some subtle messages through her selection of outfit and accessories that day. Very much visible or her wrist was a bracelet that’d once belonged to the late Princess Diana. According to People magazine, this had been deliberately picked so that the couple would feel Diana’s presence.

And then there was Meghan’s black dress. It was a very stylish Armani creation, and people immediately saw the hidden meaning. It bore the motif of a lotus flower, which has deep significance. That particular flower symbolizes renewal and toughness — so no prizes for guessing why Meghan was wearing it.

The royals are true experts at sending out hidden messages via their clothes and jewelry. Sometimes these are just polite nods to their host nations. For example, when Kate Middleton visited Canada she was sure to wear a little brooch in the shape of the maple leaf. It’d be subtle but the sort of thing that’d cause a smile when you noticed it.

And Meghan made similar gestures on the very day of her wedding. Along with her Givenchy dress, she had on a beautiful long veil that was covered in floral decorations. Each one of the flowers symbolized a British Commonwealth nation. Plus, there was a California poppy to represent the state in which Meghan had grown up.

This had actually all been Meghan’s idea. “[Harry was] really over the moon to find out that I would make this choice for our day together,” the Duchess said in the 2018 HBO doc Queen of the World. “I think the other members of the family had a similar reaction.”

Other pieces worn by royals haven’t been as good-natured, though. When Princess Diana first joined the royal family, she was a misfit and she knew it. So Diana pointedly sported a top that featured a single black sheep turning away from a group of white ones. It would become one of her most famous outfits.

And despite the royals being forbidden from getting too involved in politics, some observers think that the Queen occasionally conveys political messages via her clothes. For example, in 2017, after Britain had voted to depart the European Union, the Queen opened Parliament wearing the colors of the EU flag. Was she expressing disappointment?

And then there’s what some commentators have dubbed “brooch warfare.” People have noticed that the Queen’s brooches often seem to contain a hint as to what she might be thinking. When she received a visit from then-President Trump in 2018, she sported a brooch given to her by the Obamas, and some thought this was a deliberate snub.

Interestingly, the Queen also wore a significant brooch after Harry and Meghan stepped down from the royal family. Not long after their headline-grabbing chat with Oprah, the Queen was spotted sporting a brooch from Botswana, the place where Harry and Meghan started their epic romance. Was it just a coincidence, or a statement of solidarity with her grandson?

And another intriguing thing that the royals do with their outfits? They use them to pay respects to their loved ones. The Queen’s always worn jewelry that belonged to her late mom, for instance. And Kate Middleton deliberately invoked a famous Diana outfit when she posed outside the hospital with her first child.

During the Global Citizen Concert, Meghan was photographed with a particular Dior handbag, an attractive black one. It might’ve drawn little attention since the rest of her outfit was so stunning. But eagle-eyed fashion fans noticed that the bag had a special significance. The first clue was in its name.

The bag is called the Dior Lady D-Lite, and it was named after Diana, Meghan’s late mother-in-law. It’s an offshoot of the original bag named for Diana, which is called the Lady Dior. When Diana first started using the accessory, sales shot up, and so the company decided to name it after her.

Dior was delighted to see Meghan with the bag. The company account tweeted, “Wearing the sister bag of the iconic #LadyDior that was named after Princess Diana, Meghan Markle is the epitome of Dior elegance, as she steps out with her #LadyDLite bag at Global Citizen Live in New York.”

Princess Diana had a long history with the handbag. Back in 1995 the then-First Lady of France, Bernadette Chirac, wanted to give a special gift to the Princess of Wales when they met on official business. Knowing Diana’s status as a fashion icon, she turned to Dior’s creative chief Gianfranco Ferré for help.

Ferré had a particularly impressive bag that he called “Chouchou,” or “the favorite” in English. This was the clear choice for a present. So in the fall of 1995, as Diana attended Paris’ Grand Palais, Bernadette Chirac presented her with the bag. And this had big ramifications for the royal fashion world.

Diana absolutely loved the bag. In fact, she loved it so much that she spent some of her remaining time in France buying a few different versions of it. Then she began taking the accessory out on the town and was photographed with it at the likes of New York’s Met Gala.

The Dior company is still very proud indeed of Diana’s favored bag. The firm’s official website advertises the accessory as follows: “An architectural piece, it is the symbol of Couture elegance and refinement. Reinterpreted with charms, a wide shoulder strap and a more supple design, wear this version for guaranteed on-trend style.”

The Lady D-Lite bag’s basically an updated version of the original. Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first woman to become a designer at Dior, created it back in 2019. It’s more adaptable than the Lady Dior, with adjustable straps for added comfort. It’s also made of canvas rather than leather – ideal, then, for the environmentally friendly Meghan.

Naturally, as soon as Meghan was seen with the bag, it flew off the shelves within hours. The medium version of the accessory, which was available in black, grey and brown and sold for just short of $5,000, was snapped up in the blink of an eye. That’s the Meghan Markle effect for you.

No one would’ve been able to get hold of a Dior bag exactly like Meghan’s, though. Photos indicated that she’d had hers customized. Visible on the side was a monogram of the letters DSSOS, which could surely only stand for “Duchess of Sussex.” Chances are that Diana, another woman who defied the royal establishment, would have approved.

Meghan’s very fond of monograms, in fact. Back when she and Harry were first dating, she was seen sporting a necklace that had the initials “H” and “M” on it — Harry and Meghan, of course. And when their first child Archie arrived, she wore a necklace that bore the letter “A.”

And those aren’t the only sentimental jewelry pieces Meghan possesses. She just happens to have some items that once belonged to Diana as well, which Harry’s passed along to her. These could also be seen on Meghan as she toured New York. She’d clearly thought a lot about honoring her mother-in-law.

On day one of the tour, when Meghan and Harry visited the One World Observatory and the 9/11 memorial, Meghan had a golden watch on her wrist as well as her bracelets. This is Diana’s Cartier Tank watch. And it’s clearly very important to Meghan – she even wore it for her and Harry’s Time magazine cover.

This piece has a very special history. No one knows for certain where Diana got it, whether it was something she purchased herself or a gift, but she clearly loved it and wore it constantly. Then came her tragic death, and afterwards her sons were allowed to select pieces from her collection to keep. William picked the watch and Harry his mother’s engagement ring.

And yet it was Harry who ended up with the watch. When the boys were older, and William began dating Kate Middleton, they apparently decided to swap heirlooms. So William got the ring, which he used to propose to Kate, and Harry got the watch that he’d eventually give to Meghan.

It’s been a long time since Diana died, of course, but it’s clear that her fashion legacy continues. She would have turned 60 this year. And to mark the occasion, Princes William and Harry unveiled a statue in her honor. Despite rumors that the brothers are feuding, the pair came together for the day of the event. And, naturally, all eyes were on how they were interacting, which meant that one key part of the statue was overlooked: the outfit. Of all Diana’s iconic fashion moments, what made William and Harry choose that one? Well, it has a surprisingly poignant meaning.

The statue itself was commissioned by the brothers in early 2017 — so, a few years before Harry and William’s rift began. And the princes explained why they’d given the artwork the go-ahead, saying, “It has been 20 years since our mother’s death, and the time is right to recognize her positive impact in the U.K. and around the world with a permanent statue.” 

“Our mother touched so many lives. We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy,” William and Harry continued. First thing first, though, they had to find the right person for the job. It had to be a sculptor who could perfectly capture Diana’s likeness — and that particular outfit, too. 

The search didn’t take long. Ian Rank-Broadley got the nod — perhaps because he’s the guy who created the famous image of the Queen on British coins. And the brothers released a joint statement to the media talking about the choice. They also revealed what it meant for them to have reminders of their mother. 

William and Harry said in their statement, “We have been touched by the kind words and memories so many people have shared about our mother over these past few months. It is clear the significance of her work is still felt by many in the U.K. and across the world — even 20 years after her death.” 

“Ian is an extremely gifted sculptor, and we know that he will create a fitting and lasting tribute to our mother,” William and Harry added. “We look forward to unveiling the statue.” But plenty would have changed by the time the pair met up to actually do this. 

It was during this same year that both princes opened up to the world about their mother’s passing. It had been 20 years since Diana’s sudden death, but judging by what William and Harry revealed, the wounds still felt fresh. And hearing them talk about their mom was harrowing. Even thinking about that statue — and its very specific outfit — may have been too much to bear. 

The documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy revealed the deep grief that both men still felt. William said on camera, “Losing someone so close to you is utterly devastating, especially at that age. There’s not many days that go by that I don’t think of her.” 

Meanwhile, Harry said, “[Diana] smothered us with love, that’s for sure. There’s not a day that William and I don’t wish that she was… still around. And we wonder what kind of a mother she would be now, and what kind of a public role she would have, and what a difference she would be making.” 

That same year, Harry opened up about the mental health struggles he’d experienced following Diana’s death. Speaking on the podcast Bryony Gordon’s Mad World, he said, “I can safely say that losing my mum at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but my work as well.” But at least he had someone in his corner to help him.

Harry revealed that eventually he had “started to have a few conversations.” And it was William, he said, who had encouraged him to get therapy. The younger prince explained, “For me, my brother — God bless him — has been an enormous support.” Yes, at one time, the pair had a strong bond. When the time came to unveil the statue, however, that bond seemed to be broken. 

It all started — as far as we know — in January 2020. That’s when Harry and Meghan made the shock announcement that they were no longer going to be senior royals. And in the chaotic aftermath, William and Harry’s brotherly relationship appeared to completely fall apart. 

At the time, an insider said to The Sun that William was “incandescent with rage” about the bombshell decision. Then a few days later, The Sunday Times reported that William had told a friend, “I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives, and I can’t do that anymore. We’re separate entities.” It was sad to hear — especially when you consider all the two had gone through together. 

Harry told his side of the story during that much-publicized interview with Oprah. He said, “My father and my brother, they are trapped [within the royal family]… They don’t get to leave. I love William to bits, he’s my brother, we’ve been through hell together... but we’re on different paths.” 

That was the energy in the air when the two brothers met to unveil the statue, complete with its distinctive outfit. It was a big moment in both their lives: honoring the mother who had loved them so much. And while both men were too professional to let any bad blood get in the way of the event, you had to wonder how they were really feeling. 

Harry also traveled to Kensington Palace separately from his brother. If media reports are to be believed, he was driven there by a member of his new press team. And, apparently, Harry and William only reunited mere minutes before the statue was set to be unveiled in the Sunken Garden. 

But that could have been because there were other guests at the event for William and Harry to greet. That would have kept them busy. Their uncle Charles Spencer and aunts Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale were present. Some of Diana’s friends were also there. And, of course, Ian Rank-Broadley had been invited, too. 

The princes seemed very friendly indeed with their aunts and uncle, and there didn’t seem to be any animosity towards Harry as they all hugged and kissed. But because the event was so private, it was up to lip-readers and body language experts to work out what was going on between the brothers. 

Lip-reader Jeremy Freeman told the Daily Star that he thought he knew what the princes were saying. After being told how to remove the statue cover, Harry apparently remarked to William, “We will be okay.” Then William supposedly said in response, “I didn’t want anything to go wrong. It’s important we unveil it right.” 

The signs looked good on the body language front, too. That’s according to Judi James, who said to the Daily Mirror, “They could have opted for a chilly distance with just a few curt words exchanged, but instead William and Harry took the decision to show a display of unity.” How did she know this? 

Well, James went on, “There were clearly some signs of inner tensions, but the self-comfort ritual that was Harry’s wedding ring fiddling and William’s jacket-patting and touching were all normal traits for both brothers.” And, she told the newspaper, there were definitely some notes of hope for the brothers’ strained relationship. 

“There were moments of eye contact between them — and with no obvious changes of eye expression or face-dropping that might suggest suppressed enmity,” James said of Harry and William. “Instead, Harry’s wide, horizontal grin looked so much like the old, playful Harry before the rift. And William’s rounded cheeks and rather more puckered lips suggested genuine pleasure.” Could their estrangement finally be coming to an end? 

In any case, the unveiling seemed to go well, and both William and Harry appeared happy with the statue. It was a tribute laden with meaning, after all. The sculpture depicts a casually dressed Diana accompanied by three young children. Touchingly, it looks as though she’s interacting with the kids in a caring, motherly way. 

And while the “clothes” on the statue may look pretty ordinary, they, too, appear to hold extra meaning. The media was quick to notice that the outfit looks very much like the one Diana wore for her 1993 Christmas card. That was the first she had posed for after splitting up from Prince Charles, and she made sure to involve the young William and Harry in the picture. 

It’s very possible that the statue’s outfit — a pleated shirt paired with a skirt and belt — was a deliberate choice by William and Harry. After all, the sculpture depicts Diana as a caregiver more than a princess or a celebrity. It could be that the two went back over old outfits to decide which one represented Diana best. Maybe they even did so together. Perhaps the brothers would mention this after unveiling the statue? 

Well, if William and Harry had carefully chosen that outfit, they kept that information to themselves. In a joint statement — released to the media after the statue was revealed — they said, “Today, on what would have been our mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength, and character. [They were] qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better.” 

“Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy,” the princes continued. “Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, [Sunken Garden designer] Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all those around the world who keep our mother’s memory alive.” 

Kensington Palace also released a statement about the statue, and that explained the outfit a little further. “The figure of Diana, Princess of Wales, is surrounded by three children who represent the universality and generational impact of the princess’ work,” it said. “The portrait and style of dress was based on the final period of her life as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes, and [it] aims to convey her character and compassion.”  

But if any royal fans were expecting the artist himself to speak out on the outfit, they would have been disappointed. At least he was gracious about Diana and her legacy. Speaking in a statement, Ian Rank-Broadley said, “Diana, Princess of Wales was an icon who touched the lives of people right around the world, so it has been a privilege to work with Prince William and Prince Harry on this statue... We wanted to capture her warmth and humanity while showcasing the impact she had across generations.” 

But did the acclaimed sculptor succeed in his aim? Well, there was a bit of a mixed reaction from art critics once the statue had made its debut. The Guardian’s Jonathan Jones slammed it as “a spiritless hunk of nonsense” — and that was just for starters. 

Jones went on to say that the statue “stands in an awkward, stiff, lifeless pose and has a face that’s more manly than I remember, modeled apparently with thickly gloved hands and no photo to consult.” Ouch. But it seems that at least one photo must have been consulted for the outfit. 

The critic went on, “It is a religious image that shamelessly plays up to the most mawkish aspects of Diana worship. She deserves to be remembered. But does she need to be turned into a colossal divine protectress of all children? If that is how Harry and William think of her, that’s up to them. But this looks like the art of a new religion.” Other commentators were kinder, though. 

The Independent’s Mark Hudson wrote of the statue, “The symmetrical arrangement brings a medieval feel, while there’s a strong sense of Victorian philanthropy in Diana’s majestic magnanimity. The Queen in People’s Hearts has become the mother of children everywhere. And there’s a moving and slightly eerie sense of an image glimpsed beyond the grave.” 

Other critics weren’t happy about the choice of outfit given to the statue. Alastair Sooke, writing for The Daily Telegraph, called the chosen clothes “kitsch.” That said, he also conceded, “For die-hard fans [of Diana], [the statue] will suffice.” 

Rachel Campbell-Johnston also criticized the shirt and skirt combo in her review for The Times. She wrote of the Diana statue, “She stands, arms outspread in the pose of a traditional religious Madonna. But instead of flowing veil and falling robes, she is wearing a somewhat frumpy 1980s outfit.” Oh, dear... 

Hopefully the statue’s mixed reception wasn’t too hard on William and Harry, as they very much did what they set out to do. They unveiled the statue of their mother while acting as a family unit. It may even have been the first step in repairing their relationship for good. 

There’s a hint that bridges may eventually be mended. Royal experts Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand made waves in 2020 with their book Finding Freedom — apparently an inside look at Harry and Meghan’s break from the royal family. And an updated version, released a year later, included more details about the Diana statue ceremony as well as a quote from an unnamed friend of the prince. 

The friend apparently said that William and Harry were “deeply devoted to carrying on their mother’s legacy, and no amount of hurt feelings would ever get in the way of that. It is an absolute priority. And even amidst this other stuff, they simply wouldn’t proceed without one another together.”  

That wasn’t the only good news. Not long after the ceremony, another supposed insider told Us Weekly, “William and Harry spent the morning before the statue unveiling looking through old keepsakes, notes from Diana, and bonding. They have absolutely turned a new page in their relationship and have started the healing.” 

The source added, “Everyone around [William and Harry] was thrilled to see how close they were on the day of the statue unveiling.” So that’s good news for those who want the brothers back together like they used to be. Hopefully they’ll spend the next big anniversary bonding over their mother as well.