Kate and Meghan apparently get this sewn into their dresses to avoid wardrobe malfunctions

(Image credit: REX)

Remember when we told you about Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's skirt trick? Apparently the Duchesses wear tights and undergarments that actually increase static, so that the fabric of their skirts will stick to their legs rather than flying up.

However it's not always a fail-safe method, and if they really want to avoid wardrobe malfunctions, women from the royal family, including the Queen, apparently have something old-school sewn into their skirts.

According to the Stuart Parvin, who has created ensembles for the Queen, small lead curtain weights are fitted into the hem, weighing it down.

He told the Daily Mail, 'The beauty of a handmade outfit is that it hangs just right but, of course, we have a few tricks up our sleeve. Surprisingly, it is nothing fancy. I use curtain weights, lead weights, from Peter Jones’s curtain department. We call them penny weights.'

'I just pop a couple into the hemline of her dresses and coats and it makes them hang beautifully. If there is a flap in the coat then I will sew in one on each side of the split to even it up.

'And sometimes if she is wearing a lightweight chiffon skirt I will sew in an even smaller lead weight the size of a pea or even a length of chain, rather like a dog’s chain. But the curtain weights work beautifully,' he added.

And if you think about it, you've never seen a picture of the Queen having a Marilyn moment have you?

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.