Meghan Markle Breaks Protocol (Again!) with Her Off-the-Shoulder Dress at Trooping the Colour

Meghan Markle may officially be a royal now, but she’s still taking risks!

The newly minted Duchess of Sussex opted for a custom-made pale pink Carolina Herrera dress on Saturday when she made her Trooping the Colour debut. The outfit features a midi hemline, three flat, round buttons and a folded, off-the-shoulder neckline. Meghan is a fan of the off-the-shoulder look, even incorporating that detail into her royal wedding dress. The former actress, 36, topped off her Trooping ensemble off with a matching Philip Treacy hat.

The short sleeve dress marks a stray from tradition, as the ladies of the royal family typically opt for long sleeve options at the annual Trooping the Colour. Meghan’s new sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, has always worn a sleeve that comes past the elbow since making her Trooping debut in 2011. Princess Diana also never wore a short-sleeved look to the official celebration of the Queen’s birthday from her first appearance in 1981.

Meghan arrives at the 2018 Trooping the Colour.
Meghan arrives at the 2018 Trooping the Colour.

Though she’s only been a royal since her May 19 wedding to Prince Harry, breaking protocol is nothing new for Meghan. She didn’t wear nude pantyhose to her engagement photo call in November, she went with her signature messy bun during numerous engagements (including her wedding) and she gave a 10-year-old girl an autograph during a visit to Cardiff Castle in Wales (a royal no-no!).

Meghan and Harry at Buckingham Palace on May 22.
Meghan and Harry at Buckingham Palace on May 22.

Get similar styles of Meghan’s Trooping dress below.

Eliza J, $83 (Dillard’s)

Gal Meets Glam, $168 (Nordstrom)

ASTR the Label, $98 (Nordstrom)

Nookie dress, $279 (Bloomingdale’s)

Boohoo dress, $50 (Boohoo)

AX Paris dress, $34.95 (Amazon)

Cupcakes and Cashmere, $115 (Nordstrom)

Meghan did embrace the pantyhose rule when she attended her first engagement as a royal last month. For Prince Charles’ 70th birthday celebration on May 22 — just three days after tying the knot with Prince Harry — Meghan also wore a similar shade to her Trooping the Colour dress. During the ceremony at Buckingham Palace, the duchess wore a rose-pink “Flavia” silk-crepe pencil dress by British fashion label Goat, complete with pantyhose, a matching saucer-style fascinator and blush “Siren” pumps by Tamara Mellon.