I’m a royal fashion expert, and after covering nearly every look worn by Princess Kate and Meghan Markle this year, I can safely say the royal style rivalry is back. But this time, it’s all about Chanel.
Fresh from a whirlwind weekend in New York, Meghan Markle, 44, sent fashion watchers into a frenzy after stepping out with a vintage black Chanel camera bag. The very same luxury label that Princess Kate has recentlyadopted as her go-to for high-profile state occasions.
On one evening during the Duchess and Duchess’s trip to the Big Apple, Meghan paired the timeless accessory with a double-breasted Saint Laurent blazer, a structured Giorgio Armani top, and sleek velvet pumps.
The look instantly reignited debate online, with fashion fans divided over whether the Duchess was subtly paying tribute to her royal sister-in-law’s recent Chanel streak or simply leaning into her own Parisian-inspired aesthetic.
Meghan’s penchant for heritage luxury is well-documented. She’s long gravitated toward timeless, well-cut pieces from European houses, yet the resemblance to Kate’s recent accessory choices was hard to ignore.
Some social media users accused the Duchess of “copying” Kate’s luxury accessory. One account wrote on X: “Meghan Markle has an obsession with Catherine, the Princess of Wales. From copying her makeup and blazer right down to her Chanel WOC bag.”
Another added: “True icons set trends, they do not copy them. The Princess of Wales is an icon… Meghan Markle is just a grifting con.”
A third said, “That is the only way Meghan Markle can stay relevant – copying real fashion icons like future-Queen Catherine or Lady Beckham, or Diana.”
Meanwhile, others fiercely defended her, calling her look “stunning” and insisting, “Meghan Markle looks beautiful – there is no way she copies Kate, ever.”
The repeated Chanel appearances came just weeks after Princess Kate was spotted carrying her own burgundy Chanel flap bag – an accessory she’s used on repeat and most notably to two major diplomatic outings: meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and the Emir of Qatar.
Both royals appear to be leaning into Chanel’s refined aesthetic this season – a subtle nod, perhaps, to Princess Diana, who famously adored the brand’s understated glamour.
Diana’s vintage quilted bags and boucle suits helped redefine royal dressing in the 1990s, and now her daughter-in-law and Meghan are each reinterpreting that legacy through their own modern lens.
The Duchess’s fashion streak didn’t end there. Over the weekend, she turned heads once again at a private dinner in New York, wearing a strapless gown from Chanel’s Autumn/Winter 2022 Ready-to-Wear collection.
The midnight-toned dress featured a fitted bodice and a gently flared skirt. She embraced minimalist styling with a sleek ponytail, diamond studs and barely-there makeup.
Whether intentional or not, Meghan’s latest fashion moment reignites an ongoing conversation about identity, symbolism, and reinvention. Her decision to champion Chanel – a label tied so closely to both Diana and Kate feels like a reclamation of narrative.
Whatever the interpretation, one thing is clear: Meghan Markle is using Chanel for her own story. Like Diana before her, she’s using fashion as a form of expression weaving nostalgia and quiet power into every carefully curated look.
