Meghan Markle Recycles a Dress From Her First Public Outing With Prince Harry

If you're having dress déjà vu with the duchess' latest look, here's why.

By Samantha Schnurr Oct 30, 2018 2:33 PMTags
Watch: Meghan Markle Wears Dress From First Prince Harry Outing

If you're having dress déjà vu with Meghan Markle's latest look, here's why. 

Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex continued the royal tour of New Zealand on Tuesday with a reception at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in Auckland, hosted by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

As is expected from the pair at this point, the parents-to-be looked elegant in coordinated shades of blue—Harry in a navy suit jacket and trousers and Meghan in a navy ruffled midi dress with double-breasted buttons. 

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's 2018 Royal Invictus Tour
PHIL WALTER/AFP/Getty Images

 

It seems the star took a page out of sister-in-law Kate Middleton's playbook and recycled that look as Markle first donned the dress more than a year ago in May 2017. 

At the time, it was a special occasion for the future duchess as she cheered Prince Harry on from the sidelines at the Audi Polo Challenge while he competed on horseback. The two were not engaged at the time and the outing marked the first public event Markle attended with the royal, though mostly separately. Afterward, the still-private pair snuck a kiss in the parking lot, a moment that was captured by photographers.

A few months later, they made their first official joint appearance hand in hand at the 2017 Invictus Games in September. 

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James Whatling / MEGA

What a difference a year can make! Since those 2017 games, the two have gotten engaged, tied the knot, are now expecting their first child together and are on their first joint royal tour in honor of the Invictus Games. 

During the reception in Auckland, Prince Harry tried his hand at languages by kicking off his remarks with a greeting in six different ones. "This is definitely the first time I have spoken most of those languages, so I apologize if my accent wasn't any good, but I had to give it a go," he said. 

The dad-to-be also acknowledged how special the full-circle trip was for him and his wife. 

"Thank you again Prime Minister for hosting me and my wife on our first visit to New Zealand as a couple," he said. "It's a place we've both visited separately and it has been a joy to return here together to enjoy this stunning country."