Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Harry and Meghan wanted to recognize the people who serve others during a special day of service. (Photo: REUTERS/Toby Melville/Pool/File Photo)

Meghan Markle's recent three-day trip to Nigeria with her husband, Prince Harry, has come under scrutiny for the Duchess of Sussex's expensive wardrobe choices, which amounted to nearly £120,000 in new clothing and jewellery. The couple's visit aimed to promote the Invictus Games, but Meghan's lavish outfits have drawn criticism given the extreme levels of poverty in the African country, where more than 112 million people live in poverty.

Throughout the 72-hour tour, Meghan showcased a mix of high-end brands, such as Carolina Herrera, Altuzarra, and Johanna Ortiz, as well as designs from local Nigerian designers. She also paid tribute to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, by wearing her gold and diamond cross pendant necklace.

However, it was the Duchess's expensive jewellery that significantly contributed to the total cost of her wardrobe, including a £50,000 pinky ring from Lorraine Schwartz, a £20,824.70 Cartier yellow gold Tank Francaise watch, and a pair of £2,605 hammered disc earrings from Jennifer Meyer.

On the first day of the tour, Meghan wore a £450 peach-coloured dress from Heidi Merrick, accessorized with vintage gold earrings from Lanvin, a £1,453.20 gold necklace from AURate, and a £4,391.86 diamond hex tennis bracelet from Ariel Gordon. Later that day, she changed into a white tailored suit from Altuzarra, with a blazer worth £1,273.54 and matching trousers costing £460. The second day saw Meghan in a £2,275.35 black and white printed dress from Johanna Ortiz, paired with £359.27 black leather sandals from Emme Parsons and £2,594.96 gold disc earrings. She later changed into a £335 strapless white maxi dress from St Agni Studio and a £265 red 'Dire' dress from Nigerian designer Oríré, accessorized with a £12,500 'Baby Reverse' diamond tennis necklace from Logan Hollowell and £695 yellow gold and diamond semi hoop earrings from Kimai. On the final day of the tour, Meghan wore a skirt made of Aso Oke, a hand-woven cloth from south-west Nigeria, paired with a £265 button-down white shirt from Carolina Herrera and a pendant necklace engraved with her children's names, worth £2,039.50. She later changed into a bold sleeveless gown by Carolina Herrera, which she had previously worn to announce her pregnancy with Princess Lilibet and for Prince Archie's first birthday, accessorized with £2,605 'Large Gold Hammered Disc Earrings' from Jennifer Meyer.

While Meghan's fashion choices have often been a source of inspiration for her fans, the cost of her wardrobe during the Nigeria tour has raised questions, particularly in light of the country's extreme inequality. Nigeria, despite being the largest economy in Africa, faces significant poverty due to the misallocation of resources and political corruption. The amount of money the richest Nigerian man can earn annually from his wealth is sufficient to lift 2 million people out of poverty.

 

It remains unclear who is covering the cost of Meghan's wardrobe since the couple stepped back from their roles as working members of the royal family and expressed their desire for financial independence. Previously, the cost of Meghan's clothes for work engagements was covered by then-Prince Charles through the budget he gave the couple from the Duchy of Cornwall.