Duchess Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, recently wore a structured designer gown during the opening of the Sultan of Oman's three-day state visit to the United Kingdom. The choice of attire has drawn attention due to the designer's well-documented personal conflict with Meghan Markle.
The £895 Roland Mouret dress worn for the Sultan of Oman's visit
For the high-profile diplomatic event, the 61-year-old Duchess of Edinburgh selected a 'Bow-detail wool crêpe cocktail dress' created by Roland Mouret. According to the report, the garment carries a price tag of £895 and is characterized by a built-in bow at the neckline and a structured silhouette with soft draping at the hem.
The choice of a wool texture and a classic,enduring style reflects the tradiitonal expectations of royal dressing during state visits. However, the brand selection carries a weight that goes beyond mere aesthetics, as Roland Mouret has recently become a central figure in royal gossip circles.
How a phone call to Kate's stylist sparked Roland Mouret's feud with Meghan
The tension between the designer and the Duchess of Sussex is detailed in Roland Mouret's new memoir, where he describes a friendship that collapsed over a logistical error. As reported, a member of the Roland Mouret team attempted to be efficient by contacting the stylist for Catherine, the Princess of Wales, at Kensington Palace to request the return of clothing items belonging to Meghan Markle.
This administrative mishap reportedly left Meghan Markle "furious," as the reqquest bypassed her own team entirely. Roland Mouret claims in his book that he apologized to the Duchess of Sussex, acknowledging her preference for privacy, but the incident created a lasting rift between the fashion house and the Sussexes.
The 'cheap high street copy' allegation and the Royal fashion divide
The conflict escalated from a palace phone call to a critique of style. Roland Mouret alleges in his memoir that he later spotted the Duchess of Sussex wearing a "cheap high street copy" of one of his own designs in a public photograph. The designer claims he messaged the Duchess directly, telling her that while he understood if she no longer wished to wear his authentic pieces,wearing a low-cost imitation was "ridiculous."
This accusation highlights a recurring theme in the public perception of the Duchess of Sussex: the tension between her desire for relatable, accessible fashion and the rigid expectations of royal luxury.. By wearing a Roland Mouret piece, Duchess Sophie subtly aligns herself with the designer's camp, reinforcing a visual boundary between the "working royals" and the Sussexes.
Why Catherine's use of Roland Mouret since 2013 signals a palace preference
The Duchess of Edinburgh is not the only royal favoring this specific aesthetic; Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has been incorporating Roland Mouret designs into her wardrobe since 2013. this long-term relationship suggests that the brand is a staple of the inner palace circle, providing the structured, polished look that defines the current era of the British monarchy.
While the report details Roland Mouret's side of the story, it remains unclear if Meghan Markle or her representatives have ever officially responded to the claims reagrding the "cheap copy" or the memoir's account of their fallout. Furthermore, the specific high-street garment that sparked the designer's ire has not been identified, leaving a gap in the fashion record of this royal dispute.
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