The Duchess of Sussex may have been unhappy as a working royal, but if her Nigerian not-a-royal tour wardrobe tells us anything, it’s that she has picked up a few tricks from her time within the Palace.

For her three-day visit to the west African nation with her husband Prince Harry, Meghan has worn a series of looks that are layered with significance, from her decision to wear Princess Diana’s jewellery, to wearing Lagos-based labels. Every single look included an element that was straight from the royal tour playbook.

The verdict? The Duchess looked great, although there is some evidence that she has been planning her wardrobe without professional guidance. Although rumours persist that she is working with Adele’s Montecito-based stylist Jamie Mizrahi, sources close to both parties denied this to The Telegraph in March. 

Camp Sussex is keen to make clear that Meghan styles herself, and if that’s the case, she does a decent job for the most part. Far better than many Hollywood stars if parted from their stylists and personal shoppers. The Duchess clearly enjoys fashion and discovering new brands.

That said, even the best-dressed people need a second pair of eyes; someone to appraise a look from every angle, and to give honest feedback when something isn’t right – particularly when one is in the public eye.

The sartorial diplomacy was top notch though. Read on for the hidden messages in the three-day, eight-outfit tourdrobe.

The coded dress

At first, the Duchess’s choice of a £1,106 blush silk maxi dress by the California-based Heidi Merrick appears to be little more than a woman wearing a dress by her favourite label – it’s the second time she’s worn it in the space of a month. Then you learn that it’s named the “Windsor” style, and was part of a 2018 collection, the same year she and Prince Harry married. Coincidence? That’s unlikely. It certainly hammers home the royal connection.