Meghan Markle praised for 'body-positive message' in bump-hugging dress for first post-birth appearance

Danielle Fowler
·Freelance Writer
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reveal their newborn son to the world [Photo: PA]
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reveal their newborn son to the world [Photo: PA]

This afternoon, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex debuted their newborn son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world.

For the highly-anticipated reveal, the 37-year-old new mum dressed her post-baby bump in a sleeveless trench dress by Vogue Fashion Fund prize winner, Grace Wales Bonner.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry name their son Archie

The sartorial move further demonstrates Meghan’s independent approach to royal life and of course, only reminds us of her fashionable know-how.

She accessorised the designer ensemble with co-ordinating suede heels, a Jennifer Meyer turquoise necklace and kept her hair in loose waves - a far cry from her polished bun.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex debut their newborn son to the world [Photo: PA]
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex debut their newborn son to the world [Photo: PA]

The Duchess of Sussex was widely praised online for highlighting her post-baby bump with social media users crediting her ‘body-positive message’.

While others joked that the royal made a brave decision choosing to wear white so soon after welcoming a newborn child.

The former actress previously wore a similar ensemble for a trip to the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition in London on July 17, 2018.

For the outing, she demonstrated how to tackle a great British heatwave in a blush pink sleeveless trench by Canadian brand House of Nonie.

In a less-than-surprising statement, she teamed the protocol-breaking look with a co-ordinating £600 clutch by Mulberry and £520 Dior shoes.

But some royal fans were left disappointed that the self-confessed feminist decided to participate in the royal baby photocall just two days after giving birth.

One wrote [sic], “Just when I was cheering Meghan Markle for avoiding a royal baby perp walk in a fancy dress & heels as Kate always does, she shows up in a white(!) dress and stilettos.”

“All I wanted was for Meghan Markle to come on TV with her hair in a towel, face mask on, wearing a juicy tracksuit eating a snickers,” another added.

The publicity move is a first for the royal family however, as the Duchess of Cambridge gave same-day Lindo Wing exits for all three children.

Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting

Latest stories

  • Emma Thompson defends 'important' intimacy co-ordinators working on sex scenes

    Dame Emma Thompson has voiced her support for intimacy co-ordinators working in the film and TV industries.

  • Fans claim Kim Kardashian’s daughter Chicago looked ‘scared’ in video as North shushed screaming fans

    ‘Seems like she’s still so young, she doesn’t really understand what’s going on,’ says one fan

  • Alexandra Breckenridge shares setback with fans as she films new season of Virgin River

    Virgin River actress Alexandra Breckenridge has revealed a setback she recently faced while filming the fifth season of the Netflix show. MORE: Virgin River star teases 'unexpected' twist in season five The star, who plays Melinda Monroe in the drama, revealed she had returned to her accommodation after a long day of filming only to be met with no running water. WATCH: Alexandra Breckenridge pleads with fans on social media Speaking directly to her followers on her Instagram Stories, she said: "

  • Meta Portal’s hidden features we bet you didn’t know about

    Video calling has become a way of life in the past few years and the Meta Portal’s status has grown exponentially thanks to its user-friendly video call features. People in their droves used the Portal (formerly the Facebook Portal) to keep in touch with loved ones during the pandemic and there’s a reason it became a household tech essential. PORTAL REVIEW: How this piece of tech transformed my family's lockdown SHOP: The best back to school tech deals and gadgets 2022 From being a brilliant bac

  • Denise Welch turns up the heat in figure-hugging jumpsuit

    Denise Welch turned the heatwave up a notch by modelling some gorgeous figure-hugging outfits this week. SEE: Denise Welch looks spectacular in gorgeous swimsuit during Croatian getaway The Loose Women star looked incredible modelling several pieces from her collection with Tilletts clothing, including a low-cut, cropped black jumpsuit that highlighted her tiny waist and sensational curves. Not to be outdone, Denise also showed off another jumpsuit that featured an eye-catching blue animal print

  • This 'skin cure' avocado clay mask has nearly 7k glowing reviews on Amazon

    This avocado clay mask might just be one of Amazon's best-kept beauty secrets! It's been branded as a "skin cure" and a "must try" and has nearly 7,000 glowing reviews. With all this in mind, we're adding it to our baskets ASAP. Suitable for all skin types, the Plantifique Avocado Clay Mask is sure to work wonders. Reduced to £16.10 in the sale, it's 100% vegan and cruelty-free, not to mention organic. RELATED: Jennifer Aniston swears by this £14 skincare saviour for blemish-free skin Plantifiqu

  • Dwayne Johnson fought for Black Adam to get standalone movie

    Dwayne Johnson fought for his comic book character Black Adam to have his own origin movie instead of making his introduction in Shazam! The action man originally signed on to star as Black Adam alongside Zachary Levi as the titular superhero in Shazam!, which began development in 2014. However, when he got the script, Johnson realised introducing both characters in the same film would do his supervillain "an incredible disservice". "When the first draft of the movie came to us, it was a combina

  • Hogwarts Legacy delayed until next year

    PC Gamer report that the game will not arrive until 2023. However, there is a firm release date of February 10. The high profile Harry Potter game has already suffered a few setbacks so, let’s hope no more for the open-world action RPG! With that in mind, those keen to play should put February 10 in their diaires for PC, PlayStation and Xbox. The Switch release date however is still yet to be revealed. The delay has been officially announced on the Hogwarts Legacy Twitter page.

  • Madonna celebrates son Rocco's birthday with rare family photos

    Madonna was one proud parent over the weekend as she celebrated her oldest son Rocco's birthday. MORE: Madonna's son dances in a dress in fun video at home The Vogue hitmaker took to Instagram to share a series of photos of herself with the birthday boy as they went out for a luxury dinner. Madonna was all smiles as she sat next to Rocco - who is his dad Guy Richie's double! In the caption, the mother-of-six wrote: "From one Leo to another!! Happy birthday Rocco." VIDEO: Madonna's teenage son Da

  • Adele breaks silence on huge diamond engagement ring from Rich Paul

    Adele has sparked a fan frenzy several times since confirming her relationship with Rich Paul by stepping out with a gold band and a huge diamond rock. RELATED: Adele fans left wondering about baby number two as her boyfriend reveals hopes of having another child While she has previously been quiet on the subject of marriage, the Someone Like You singer - who is ELLE's September 2022 cover star - opened up about rumours that she is engaged to Rich, gushing about her partner and telling the publi

  • House of Suarez dance up a storm with Yahoo! at Brighton Pride

    The dancers vogued through the streets of Brighton in the parade, before taking to the Yahoo! runway.

  • Carol Vorderman displays gym-honed figure in tight workout gear during gruelling session

    Carol Vorderman worked up a sweat on Saturday while showing off her new figure-hugging gym gear. READ: Carol Vorderman looks spectacular in leopard leggings as she hints at upcoming change The 61-year-old looked delighted with her skintight all-in-one, which she modelled on her Instagram Stories before undergoing a gruelling weights session with a personal trainer during her health retreat in Portugal. WATCH: Inside Carol Vorderman's luxury health retreat Carol posed for a mirror selfie in her n

  • 7 unbelievably simple ways going green can save you £100s on bills

    If you're concerned about the UK's cost of living crisis, you're not alone. The recent hike in energy bills to the increasing price of food is putting pressure on families to keep up with payments - so what can you do to cut the costs? READ: 10 simple ways to reduce your food waste by £720 per year The answer could lie in adopting a more sustainable lifestyle; avoiding waste, using refillables and even growing your own produce. Luckily, Lucy Johnson, founder of Green Salon Consultancy, has share

  • Christine Lampard wows Lorraine viewers in the most elegant floral dress

    Continuing her summer stint on Lorraine, Christine Lampard has returned to our screens for Monday's episode – and she couldn't have looked more elegant. RELATED: Christine Lampard's polka dot dress has a sassy feature we bet you missed Kicking off the week in style, the TV star kept cool in a sleeveless midi dress by L.K.Bennett, complete with the dreamiest floral print. Accessorised to perfection, Christine polished off her ensemble with a silver diamond tennis bracelet and nude sandals – simpl

  • Inside Paris Jackson's sprawling $3.8m Hollywood Hills home

    Paris Jackson is living in style after splashing $3.8million on a stunning new home located in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles. SEE: Paris Jackson displays tattooed body and long legs in daring swimsuit The 24-year-old musician's new home has had some incredibly talented previous owners too. Paris bought the property from Maroon 5 keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, who was sold the house in 2012 by Canadian songstress K.D. Lang! WATCH: Paris Jackson shares rare insight into relationship with

  • Anne Heche’s joy in final social media post

    Anne Heche looked overjoyed in her final Instagram post.

  • I used to think art required natural talent. Then I taught myself to draw

    Practice may not make you Picasso (or perfect for that matter), but the process of acquiring a new skill is a reward in itself

  • Zoe Ball shares a first look at her new show, Garden of the Year

    Zoe Ball has shared a first look at her new show, Garden of the Year, saying, “What an absolute joy and adventure this has been.”

  • See the cast of Gilmore Girls and their real-life children

    Gilmore Girls is a classic and we never tire of watching re-runs on Netflix. The show, which ran for seven seasons between 2000 and 2007, tells the story of single mum Lorelai and her daughter, Rory and all the goings-on in the fictional town of Stars Hollow. MORE: 7 shows to watch if you can't get enough of Gilmore Girls But what about their families in real life? We did some investigating, and here's all you need to know about the stars of the show and their children... WATCH: Did you enjoy re

  • These Celebrities Look Strikingly Similar To Their Children And We Can't Get Over It

    Gigi and Bella Hadid, Ava Phillippe, Kaia Gerber and Suri Cruise have inherited their famous parents' good looks. Here are the best celebrities and their lookalike children.