Meghan Markle's subtle tribute to Princess Diana: Duchess channels her late mother-in-law in Nigeria with her choice of necklaces

12/05/2024

READ MORE: Sussexes' royal tour in all but name: Beaming Prince Harry and Meghan kick off 'private' visit to Nigeria with engagement at school

Meghan Markle has seemingly paid a subtle tribute to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana as she joined Prince Harry on a 'three-day royal tour' in Nigeria.

The Duchess of Sussex, 42, looked effortlessly elegant in a sleeveless peach maxi dress titled Windsor from Californian designer Heidi Merrick as she visited a school supported by the couple's Archewell Foundation on Friday.

The mother-of-two appeared to look to the late Princess of Wales for inspiration for her accessories as during Diana's own visit to Nigeria in 1990, the royal opted to wear similar earrings and necklace.

Meghan sported chunky gold earrings from Lanvin, her AURate collar necklace and an array of dazzling bracelets, as well as her wedding rings.

The jewels resembled those worn by Diana when she visited the country with her then-husband Charles, just two years before they separated.

Meghan Markle has seemingly paid a subtle tribute to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana as she joined Prince Harry on a 'three-day royal tour' in Nigeria .

Meghan added a bit more glamour by wearing Diana's gold Cartier Tank Française watch.

The gold £17,800 watch was worn by Diana at a number of occasions, including a 1997 visit to London's Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple and an engagement at the British Lung Foundation that same year.

Meghan is known to be a fan of the elegant timepiece and splurged on her own two-tone version back in 2015 when Suits was picked up for a third season.

At the time, she told Hello Magazine, 'I've always coveted the Cartier French Tank watch. When I found out Suits had been picked up for our third season—which, at the time, felt like such a milestone—I totally splurged and bought the two-tone version

'I had it engraved on the back, 'To M.M. From M.M.' and I plan to give it to my daughter one day. That's what makes pieces special, the connection you have to them.'

It appears Meghan also chose to honour Diana once again on Saturday by wearing a gold cross necklace that a source told Page Six actually belonged to the Princess.

The beauty showed off the gold chain by pairing it with a white strapless dress by St. Agni for a reception hosted by Christopher Musa, the chief of the Nigerian defense staff, in honour of military families.

Meghan has been gifted several items from Diana's collection. They include Diana's butterfly earrings and gold bracelet which she wore on their Australian tour in 2018.

Yet the watch is a favourite and she has been spotted wearing it often. The watch had been gifted to Diana by her father on her 21st birthday.

The jewels resembled those worn by Diana when she visited the country in 1990 with her then-husband Charles, just two years before they separated

Later that evening Meghan was spotted wearing the AURate collar necklace with a chic white suit

It appears Meghan also chose to honour her late mother-in-law once again on Saturday by wearing a gold cross necklace that a source tells Page Six actually belonged to Diana

Harry and Meghan's 72-hour whistlestop visit is primarily to promote Harry's Invictus Games, but many observers have noted its similarity to a traditional royal tour.

So much so, that he British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, was left keen to dispel any illusions that they are on official business.

'They are visiting in a private capacity, not an official one... They are not representing the work of His Majesty's Government on this visit,' he said in comments reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.

Believed to have originally been priced at $572, Meghan's chic silk frock that she wore to her first outing in Nigeria features a dropped hemline, billowing skirt and cinched waist.

It's not the first time the Duchess has worn the designer. In April, Meghan opted for a glamorous white Heidi Merrick design, which featured a statement bow and cut out back.

Meghan's close friend and former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer also chose the same outfit to celebrate Heidi's anniversary celebrations with her husband Johnny Johnston in September. Abigail looks to be close pals with the Californian designer.

She also opted to wear her $62,000 Lorraine Schwartz pinky band, which has a contentious background; there have long been questions about the origin of the ring.

In 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan denied claims that the band was fashioned with diamonds gifted to the couple by a mystery donor in the Middle East - before clarifying that they were referring to a different ring.

They initially said the piece was sourced by a stylist on the shoot directly from the designer and that there was no link to a mystery donor in the Middle East.

Meghan looked effortlessly elegant as she bared her back in a sleeveless peach-coloured frock, featuring a dropped hemline, billowing skirt and cinched waist

Meghan added a bit more glamour by wearing Diana's gold Cartier Tank Française watch

Both the Duchess and Duke donned beaded necklaces, while Harry put on a low-key display in a cream shirt and trouser combo

But in a spectacular U-turn, they later rolled back the denial, and clarified that they were referring to a different ring.

There was no further mention made of the Lorraine Schwartz ring in question on her right hand, begging the question of whether Meghan has something to hide about the provenance of the diamond, which was first seen on her finger in October 2020.

If the diamonds did indeed come from the Middle East, it's not clear if Meghan received the gift while she was still a working royal, or after she performed her final official duties in early March 2020.

She did not visit the region officially, but there's always the possibility she made a private trip.

Buckingham Palace only publishes a list of gifts received by royals while on duty in the UK or overseas, and there is no public record of Meghan being given any diamonds.

Gifts sent to the royals outside of official engagements are recorded but not made public.

The palace previously directed inquiries about the diamonds back to the Sussexes' representatives in the US.

Meghan also appeared to sport her beloved $5,500 Ariel Gordon Diamond Hex Tennis bracelet, which was rumoured to be a Valentine's gift from Harry this year.

Meghan takes a selfie with students as Harry watches at the Wuse Lightway Academy on Friday

Harry and Meghan took part in games at the Wuse Lightway Academy in Abuja on Friday

The Duke and Duchess watch dancers at the Wuse Lightway Academy in Abuja

Meghan complemented her outfit with a smattering of glamorous makeup, including a pink lip-gloss, plenty of blush and a smokey eyeshadow look. Her hair appeared equally glam, with Meghan opting for a ponytail of soft curls

The stunning 14k yellow gold piece features more than 1.5 carats of diamonds encased in solid gold hexagon-shaped links and is handmade in LA.

She often stacks the stand-out piece on top of her other bling, such as her beloved Cartier Watch, identical to the one her mother-in-law Princess Diana owned.

Both the Duchess and Duke donned beaded necklaces that they had been gifted, while Harry put on a low-key display in a cream shirt and trouser combo.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex met officials and children at the Wuse Lightway Academy on Friday, hours after their arrival in Abuja in the early hours.

Harry spoke to a group of pupils at the school about mental health and referenced when someone has 'lost a loved one in your family and you don't know who to turn to or who to speak to'.

The Duke – who was 12 and his brother William 15 when Princess Diana died in Paris in 1997 - added that there was 'no shame to be able to acknowledge that today is a bad day',

He also told the children: 'You can have it, she (Meghan) can have it, I can have it. They can have it. Every single one of us is likely to have it on any given day.'