How Meghan Markle Hid Her Baby Bump, From Well-Placed Ruffles to Cozy Coats

Kensington Palace confirmed the duchess is pregnant and is due in the "spring of 2019."

By Samantha Schnurr Oct 15, 2018 4:09 PMTags
Watch: How Meghan Markle Hid Her Royal Baby Bump

Hindsight is crystal clear—and so are the ways Meghan Markle tried to hide her burgeoning baby bump. 

On Monday, Kensington Palace confirmed the exciting and recently speculated news that the Duchess of Sussex is pregnant with her and Prince Harry's first child. 

"Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019," the palace said in a statement. "Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public."

As for how far along the expectant royal is, she reportedly had her 12-week scan recently, putting her at the three month mark. While the baby news has been secretly brewing among the duke and duchess, the two have not shied away from public appearances. However, judging by Markle's recent wardrobe, she may have taken extra precaution when it came to concealing any signs of apregnancy. 

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A Comprehensive Guide to Meghan Markle's Royal Style
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Image

While Markle has a tendency to wear laid-back and looser silhouettes generally, it seems she took advantage of baggier articles of clothing in recent weeks, including at the WellChild awards in London in early September.

There, she sported a black Altuzarra Studio pantsuit and held a clutch by her waist. 

 

Geoff Pugh/The Telegraph/PA Wire

A few days later, the rumor mill really began to churn when the duchess sported a blue Jason Wu dress with ruffles flowing down the midsection at a charity concert with Prince Harry. 

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How Meghan Markle Shared Her Pregnancy With the Royal Family
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When it came time to launch the Together cookbook in support of the Hubb Community Kitchen—her first charitable endeavor as an official royal—on September 20, she did so in a royal blue Smythe coat layered over a black turtleneck and A-line skirt that flowed at the waist. 

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Later in the month, Markle showed her sporty side as she played some netball at the Coach Core Awards. Her outfit sparked equal attention as she donned an Oscar de la Renta blouse with a handkerchief-style bottom that flowed over her stomach—a style that stood out from her typically sleeker looks. 

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For their first official visit to Sussex in early October, Harry and Meghan kicked off the day by greeting throngs of ecstatic residents.

The duchess once again kept her look layered as she performed her royal duties, donning a light camel Armani coat over a dark green creased Hugo Boss pencil skirt and matching button-down green shirt by And Other Stories. 

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Everything Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Have Said About Son Archie and Parenthood
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Markle's Givenchy matching dress and coat really got people talking on Friday when she stepped at out as a guest at Princess Eugenie's wedding, particularly considering she kept the coat on throughout the entire televised service. 

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After touching down in Australia on  Sunday, the royal couple was briefly spotted arriving and getting into a car. However, it was just long enough to notice that the mom-to-be was sporting another coat and holding what appeared to be large binders in front of her. A coincidence? We think not. A distraction? We'd bet on it. Just hours later, the palace announced the pregnancy.