Meghan Markle Made a Surprise Appearance at the British Fashion Awards

Sound the duchess alarm—Meghan Markle just popped out for the evening in London, and the reason is incredibly special. She made surprise appearance at the 2018 Fashion Awards, a yearly ceremony put on by the British Fashion Council, to honor Clare Waight Keller, the designer of her magnificent wedding dress.

The Duchess of Sussex was on hand to present Waight Keller, the creative director of Givenchy with the British Designer of the Year (Womenswear) award. The crowd, of course, went wild.

"It is such an honor to be here celebrating British fashion and British fashion designers in my new home of the U.K.,” she said on stage.

Markle, of course, wore custom Givenchy for the occasion—an elegant one-shouldered gown, accessorized with gold bangles by Pippa Small, per What Meghan Wore. And check out the slit on that skirt—this was definitely an outfit made for the fashion crowd. The Duchess slicked her hair back in a sleek low bun.

"As all of you in this room know, we have a deep connection to what we wear," Markle said on stage, before presenting Waight Keller with her award. "Sometimes it's very personal; sometimes it's emotional. But for me, this connection is rooted in, really, being able to understand that it's about supporting and empowering each other, especially as women. When we choose to wear a certain designer, we're not just a reflection of their creativity and their vision, but we're also an extension of their values in something of the fabric, so to speak, that is much more meaningful."

In her acceptance speech, Waight Keller talked about getting to know the Duchess of Sussex on a "personal level" and thanked her for “trusting her” to design her gown for “the most important day in her life."

To say it was a successful collaboration under enormous pressure would be a massive understatement—so congrats to the designer on a well-deserved honor.

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