Meghan Markle’s outfit change on tour was a meaningful tribute

Shirt dresses are in.

(Image credit: Stephen Lock / i-Images)

Shirt dresses are in.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s royal tour has been making non stop viral news, from baby Archie’s first international appearance to Meghan’s important words about gender equality.

In short - it has been an extremely eventful 10 days.

One constant source of conversation has been Meghan Markle’s tour wardrobe, with the Duchess of Sussex recycling past looks.

Wednesday was no exception, as the Duchess executed a very quick change to don a past ensemble for a very special reason.

A photo posted by on

Yes, despite visiting young entrepreneurs in Johannesburg in a crisp white shirt dress, Meghan emerged to meet Graça Machel, Nelson Mandela's widow, in a different shirt dress - a blush double-breasted number.

Look familiar? It should, with Meghan recycling the look by Canadian fashion brand House of Nonie as a tribute to the Mandela family.

Meghan first wore the blush shirt dress at a 2018 event at London’s Southbank Centre, celebrating what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday, with the former South African president's granddaughter, Zamaswazi Dlamini-Mandela, in attendance.

'Their Royal Highnesses were delighted to be able to meet Graça and her family, and talk about their shared passion for their work on equality and human rights,' the Duke and Duchess captioned an Instagram from the day this week.

'Graça, who was married to former South African President and anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela, was made an honorary British Dame by Her Majesty The Queen for her contributions and services to human rights protection.'

This is a lovely tribute.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.