Meghan Markle's Trooping the Colour dress broke with royal protocol

Yesss girl!

(Image credit: Utrecht Robin/action press/REX/Shutterstock)

Yesss girl!

Meghan Markle brought the Hollywood glam at Queen Elizabeth’s grand birthday over the weekend, a.k.a. Trooping the Colour. Dressed to the nines in a stylish Phillip Treacy hat and Caroline Herrera outfit, she was absolutely glowing and broke a royal fashion rule in the process.

Meghan and Prince Harry joined the rest of the royal family on Buckingham Palace balcony for the impressive flyby, though many eyes weren't on the colourful jets up above but on Meghan’s neckline. While her off-the-shoulder bateau dress was a beautiful nod to her Givenchy royal wedding dress, it also drew some criticism over the weekend.

meghan markle trooping the colour dress

REX/Shutterstock
(Image credit: REX/Shutterstock)

Her outfit broke with the royal tradition of wearing more conservative necklines, particularly at Trooping the Colour. Not even royal fashion icon Princess Diana ventured beyond long sleeves territory at the Queen's grand birthday celebration.

meghan markle trooping the colour dress

REX/Shutterstock
(Image credit: REX/Shutterstock)

While some people grumbled on the internet about the appropriateness of the dress, nobody on the balcony seemed to mind at all. In fact, Meghan spent the day chatting it up with Prince Charles, joking around with her new man and she even had a sweet sister-in-law moment with Kate Middleton.

Meghan Markle's Trooping the Colour dress also set her apart from Queen Elizabeth, Camilla and Kate Middleton who all opted to wear powder blue dresses. While it may have been a coincidence that they all matched, some royal experts have said that the decision was deliberate to show how unified the family was - we guess Meghan didn't get the memo.

meghan markle trooping the colour dress

REX/Shutterstock
(Image credit: REX/Shutterstock)

Trooping the Colour marks the second official royal engagement for the new Duchess of Sussex, the first being her father-in-law Prince Charles’ birthday party. She didn’t rock the boat on her first outing however, as people were quick to note that she had worn tights with her outfit - one of the many fashion rules that royal women are expected to adhere to.

We for one say forget the naysayers Meg, you looked absolutely fire at Trooping the Colour. Keep smashing through those dowdy old rules and push the fashion envelope, girl.

Feeling inspired by Meghan Markle's style? Here's a couple of similar dresses to fall in love with...

Rita Off Shoulder Detail Midi Dress

meghan markle trooping the colour dress

Rita Off Shoulder Detail Midi Dress

Priced at £20, available at boohoo

Buy now

Darina Bardot Bodycon Cashmere Dress

meghan markle trooping the colour dress

Darina Bardot Bodycon Cashmere Dress

Priced at £195, available at REISS

Buy now

Now that Meghan's officially a part of the family, we can't wait to see what else she and her stylist cook up for her next appearance.

Maybe they'll even break another royal fashion rule...

Megan C. Hills

Megan is a freelance journalist who covers entertainment and all things lifestyle, with a particular passion for fashion, beauty, travel and Keanu Reeves stories. She has previously worked on staff for titles including Marie Claire UK, CNN Style and The Evening Standard and has written for titles such as Bustle UK, Wallpaper*, Forbes and Hong Kong Tatler. She splits her time between London and her hometown Hong Kong, where she currently lives with the love of her life - an elderly dog named Poppy - and her husband.