With the changing seasons comes an inevitable change in wardrobes, from light summer dresses and linens to warm knits, grounded earth tones and layered coat looks.
Over the years, both the Princess of Wales and Duchess of Sussex have mastered the art of transitioning their widely reported-on fashion choices from season to season, with fall creating the opportunity for fans to see the true extent of the royal wardrobes.
Whether it's Kate turning to tweeds and knitwear, or Meghan's penchant for soft tailored coats and jackets, the royal sisters-in-law have a keen eye for fashion in common.
Here, Newsweek looks at some of Meghan and Kate's most glamorous fall fashion moments.
Duchess of Sussex—Inter-Seasonal Dressing
When she joined the royal family in 2018, Meghan Markle was praised for bringing a modern edge to dressing for official events.
In the fall of 2018, the duchess made her first visit to Sussex, the English county from which her title is derived. For the seasonably warm October day, Meghan wore a green leather skirt from Hugo Boss, contrasting the hard textile against a soft blouse from & Other Stories. In cooler moments, the duchess layered the look with a nude Armani coat.
Princess of Wales—Fall Gala
Dramatic eveningwear is an aspect of the Princess of Wales' wardrobe she has been widely celebrated for over the years.
For a gala opening of the Victoria & Albert Museum's photographic galleries in October 2017, the princess wore a striking tweed dress from one of her favorite designers, Erdem.
The heather and purple plaid tweed was accented with faux amethyst and pearl buttons that fell from the center front of the asymmetric neckline.
Princess of Wales—Fall Wedding Guest
Fall weddings are rare in the royal family, with many traditionally taking part in the spring.
When Prince Andrew and Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson's daughter, Princess Eugenie, married in October 2018, Kate made a style statement in a rich raspberry pink ensemble designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.
Duchess of Sussex—Trendy Trench Coat
As a working member of the royal family, Meghan Markle undertook a number of overseas tours with Prince Harry, one of the first being to the South Pacific Islands.
For their arrival in Sydney, Australia, Meghan wore a classic white day dress by Australian designer Karen Gee, layered with a soft tailored trench coat by another local designer, Martin Grant.
The outfit was immortalized as a photograph from the engagement was used as the main promotional image for the duchess' 2022 Netflix docuseries: Harry & Meghan.
Duchess of Sussex—Princess in Plaid
On another leg of her first tour, Meghan debuted a second trench coat look, this time in a warm-toned plaid print.
The duchess simply styled the Karen Walker-designed coat with minimal accessories and a slicked-back hairstyle, as she and Harry laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at the country's National War Memorial.
Princess of Wales—Chic Fall Separates
Though the Princess of Wales may be best known for her preference for blue coats, dresses and accessories, in the fall she has displayed a wider breadth of color choices, including the grounded earth tones associated with the changing seasons.
For a visit to London's Natural History Museum in October 2019, the princess wore a classic pair of forest green culottes from the brand Jigsaw, which she worked with as a fashion buyer before her marriage to Prince William.
Kate paired the culottes with a burgundy blouse from Warehouse and a burgundy Chanel quilted handbag.
Duchess of Sussex—Bold in Burgundy
In October 2019, the Duchess of Sussex took part in a number of events connected to the One Young World forum, a mentoring collective with the aim to nurture and educate young leaders.
For a discussion hosted by Meghan at Windsor Castle with some of the members of One Young World, the duchess opted for a seasonal look in mixed tones of burgundy, featuring a leather Hugo Boss skirt and soft jersey blouse.
Duchess of Sussex—Layered Earth Tones
One of Meghan's enduring fashion signatures has been her love for oversized camel coats. This was something she developed long before her marriage, owning a number of similar coats from brands such as Max Mara.
For the WellChild Awards in October 2019, the duchess wore a wide collar wrap coat by Sentaler over a green mid-length dress, familiar to royal fans as the dress worn during her official engagement interview two years earlier.
Duchess of Sussex—New York City Glamor
When Prince Harry and Meghan left the royal family in 2020, moving to the U.S. in the process, they reduced their number of working appearances. When the couple stepped out for a multi-day visit to New York City in 2021, they were eagerly followed by fans and the fashion press alike.
For one of the days of their visit, Meghan wore a bold layered look in deep navy blue, comprising a lined Giorgio Armani coat, a high neck blouse and light-weight wide-legged pants.
Princess of Wales—Fall Plaid
Though the Princess of Wales is not as big a fan of patterns as other members of the royal family, notably the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne, Kate has a number of bold printed items in her vast wardrobes.
One block print plaid dress was worn for a visit to the University College London in the fall of 2018. The dress was from mid-range brand Zara, and provided coverage for the arms and neckline as the colder weather began in on London.
Princess of Wales—Autumnal in Yellow
Kate is well-known for her array of elegantly tailored dresses in a wide range of colors.
In October 2022, the princess opted for a classic day dress from the designer Karen Millen's eco-conscious line, in an autumnal yellow hue. The dress featured a matching covered belt and pleated skirt.
Princess of Wales—Designer Tweeds
Though Kate mainly looks to U.K.-based fashion brands when putting outfits together for public engagements, there are a small number of notable exceptions.
One of these was debuted in October 2022, in the form of a vintage 1990s boucle tweed jacket from Paris fashion house Chanel. The princess paired the jacket with navy wide-legged pants and has since worn it again, during a royal visit to Boston in December that same year.
Duchess of Sussex—Seasonal Shirt Dress
Meghan Markle's most recent public appearances were made during the 2023 Invictus Games, held in the German city of Dusseldorf in September.
For an appearance at the sitting volleyball finals with Prince Harry, the duchess wore a classic blue-toned shirt dress from one of her favorite designers, Carolina Herrera.
Meghan is known to be a fan of the classic shirt dress style, owning multiple examples from both high-end and affordable fashion houses.
Princess of Wales—Fall Fashion Moment
The Princess of Wales signaled that the fall of 2023 has arrived this month, debuting a grey and white ensemble showcasing a new knit sweater vest from the British designer label Cefinn.
To date, this is the first time that Kate has worn a sweater vest for a prominent royal engagement, and moves her style in line with the more streamlined and formal aesthetic she has developed since taking on the senior royal role of Princess of Wales.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
