The Duchess wore a fan favorite by Antonio Berardi for a reception tonight.
The event was at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Eva Corlett shared a video of the Duke and Duchess arriving.
arrival #RoyalVisitNZ pic.twitter.com/DMCLYyakPr
— Eva Corlett (@EvaCorlett) October 30, 2018
The Duke and Duchess as they were greeted at the museum.
The majority of guests at the function were ages 17 to 25, members of the Pasifika community who are making significant contributions to the wellbeing of their communities.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hosted the event.
More from this 1 News Now story:
Of the prince and duchess, she told the young, enthusiastic crowd, “You might think you’re here to meet them, but they’re here to meet you.”
Ms Ardern thanked the royals for their warmth and their focus on mental health, saying “your willingness to speak so openly is a powerful message”.
The Duke addressed the audience.
In my role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, it is a privilege to champion so many exceptionally talented young leaders across all 53 countries; your voices are being heard, and each and every one of you is making this change happen.” — The Duke of Sussex #RoyalVisitNZ pic.twitter.com/EqCmqEhkwP
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 30, 2018
More of the Duke’s address via this Radio NZ piece:
He commended the prime minister for inviting the young guests who he described as “arbiters of real change”.
“It is incredibly inspiring to see you forging new paths, while staying rooted in your language, culture and heritage,” he said.
“Meghan and I have enormous respect for you… Your generation is quite literally energising the world and don’t ever stop fighting for what you believe in.”
The entertainment looked terrific.
Oh wow its going off in here @DisneyMoana styles #RoyalVisitNZ #Moana #Pacificstars @LeVaPasifika @tagpas @TheCoconetTV pic.twitter.com/I6tmhUEWLS
— Josiah Tualamali’i ???? (@JosiahT_NZ) October 30, 2018
The dance troupe Saintzup.performingarts performed.
The Duke and Duchess looked like they were really enjoying the evening.
Another photo via Eva Corlett, this one showing the couple as they say goodnight to the Prime Minister.
Now for our look at what Meghan wore this evening.
Meghan’s Antonio Berardi dress was worn at a polo match in May 2017, when she was first seen at an event with Harry in the UK. More from a Daily Telegraph story:
She was in England to watch Harry and Prince William play polo at Caworth Park where they were fundraising for various charities with which they are asssociated, including Sentebale, Wellchild, The Tusk Trust and the Royal Marsden. She stood beside Harry’s ‘second father’ Mark Dyer opting for a navy blue, double-breasted, asymetric- hemmed dress by London-based designer Antonio Berardi.
“Meghan looked simply flawless,” Berardi tells The Telegraph of his first reaction to seeing the Suits star in the design from his Resort 2017 collection. “Her outfit choice for the Polo was deftly chic and most importantly, event appropriate,” he adds.
The dress is from the S/S 2017 collection and done in a crepe fabric. Tailored with menswear influences, like the double-breasted cut and flap pockets, the dress has a high-low hem that falls gracefully and moves well when in motion.
Tonight the Duchess wore a pair of her ‘go-to ‘Deneuve’ Bow Pumps ($750), in the light-grey colorway. She wore the shoes to the private Invictus party.
We have seen her where the shoe in the black and beige colorway.
Meghan carried her Dior clutch. We’re thinking her clutch is a version of the Dior ‘Bee’ clutch but slightly longer and in navy leather. It could be a piece from a previous season or a sample sale which she received direct from the designer.
Meghan wore her hair down, but we could see that she appeared to have on a new pair of earrings.
UPDATE: Meghan’s earrings are the ‘Nova’ Gold White Topaz from Emily Mortimer, £350.00 ($452 USD at today’s rate).
A protégé of renowned gemstone jeweller Kiki McDonough, Emily has been working in the industry for over seven years. Her designs are described as “versatile and vibrant, designed for both the everyday and extraordinary occasion.”
More from the jeweler’s website:
‘Emily Mortimer Jewellery is made for wearing. Whether you add a gold cuff for the beach, a cocktail ring during the day, or an incredible pair of earrings for the evening, it will make a statement.’ EM x”
Don’t miss our earlier post covering two ensembles from the Duchess, “Karen Walker & J Crew in the Morning, Burberry & Brandon Maxwell in the Afternoon”
Our look ahead to tomorrow, the final day of the tour!
I like everything about this dress minus the buttons lol. I’m not really a fan of buttons on dresses. Since the dress is dark they don’t stand out too much.
What a fitting dress for Meghan to wear on one of her last events of the Royal Tour… the Berardi dress from her first public event with Harry! That’s monumental and a testament to their continued support of each other and their work and affinity with charities.
The crepe fabric is fluid and the dress details like flap pockets, high-low hem, and indented arm straps show impeccable design. I rather like the “unknown shade” of her Bow Pumps, similar to the color worn by the model in the photo above. Meghan’s hair, make-up, composure and poise continue to shine and she and Harry should be commended for finishing strong and conducting themselves above reproach. Well done!
Perfection.
She loves the high low hemline and for her frame it seems to work for the most part.
A great ending for a rocky start to the tour
This woman has done yeoman’s work for the monarchy on this tour, ready for anything despite early pregnancy, and looked fashionable doing it. Harry is a lucky man!
I believe her earrings are by Emily Mortimer ?
https://www.emilymortimer.co.uk/ourshop/prod_6214761-Nova-Gold-White-Topaz-Earrings.html?
Thanks Tiffany – indeed they are by Emily Mortimer (see comment from her site below) – we will be updating the post shortly. Thanks! – SC
Hi it looks like the clutch bag is the dior one from
http://meghansmirror.com/product/bespoke-christian-dior-navy-clutch/
as you can just see the handle at the top in the pictures
Hi, Jenny and thanks so much for commenting. We do not believe this clutch is the Dior Meghan has carried several times. The dimensions are clearly different and this bag is leather, not satin. Thank you for the input, we always appreciate it, there’s no way we can keep up on all of the items Meghan has! 🙂
The end of this tour has shown some much better looks then the slightly dodgy start. This dress looks fab and like many others, I’m not usually a fan of high/low hemlines but in this case it works. Meghan’s favourite navy again but its OK as we’ve had some colour in between. Love the shoes and bag and absolutely love her earrings – I would like a pair of these, please find out what they are!!!
Earrings are by Emily Mortimer Jewellery ❤️
https://www.emilymortimer.co.uk/ourshop/prod_6214761-Nova-Gold-White-Topaz-Earrings.html
Best wishes,
Emily
Excellent. Thank you. Christmas is coming….
Oh does she look lovely! Loving the lip color and the rosier blush–it lights up her face more than the bronzer.
This is a fabulous dress from every vantage point. Whether it’s the “v” back, side flap pockets or double breasted front this dress has something to offer. The design puts all of that together without looking overdone. Her make up compliments the dress perfectly withthe darker lips adding evening glamour. Of course the fact that I am a fan of a good hi low adds to my enthusiasm. Love this look.
I Have really enjoyed this royal tour and think it was a great success for the Duke and Duchess. Being apart of WMW added to my enjoyment. I looked forward to reading all the different perspectives on the Duchess’ fashion choices as well as the posts. Thanks admin for your hard work.
I am not a fan of high/low hemlines and slits. They too often distract. However, Meghan’s contrast coloring and bright smile makes her able to wear these what I regard as “unwearable” without looking “fussy.” Simply amazing.
And while I am at it, Harry and Meghan’s schedule exhausted me. Hats off to “H&M” and hats off to the “What Meghan Wore” team and their astute fans who made coverage of H&M possible.
I’m so delighted we have the chance to see this dress again properly, it is every bit as good as it seemed first time round, if not better. The crew neck is cut in such a gentle flattering arc and I love the angled cut-out sleeves and all those buttons.
The hi-lo feature is also beautifully worked and the colour is once again fabulous on Meghan. The switch from the highly tailored top to romantic folds of fabric in the skirt is nicely judged, the angled pocket flaps and buttons helping bridge the two style moods. I like the v-neck back and exposed zip giving interest at the back – the mark of a quality designer.
I’m very happy to see the favoured bow pumps repeated in another colour, and they look well against the dark dress, the feminine bow in keeping with the gentle shape of the skirt. I also like having a navy clutch alongside the pale footwear. Love the earrings – another intriguing mystery to ponder on!
I cannot beleive this tour is still going! To the admin of this blog – you are amazing for keeping up with all this! THANK YOU!!!
This is a great dress – one of my favorites. I said in a prior comment that we’re beginning to see the patterns in what is Meghan’s personal style, and this is another dress that fits that pattern. Dresses with collars and buttons – what are they called – safari dresses? This is such an elegant one! I love the navy color and the interesting pleating at the skirt. Really great look.
I just adore the hem on this dress and the neckline / sleeveless design is unique and flattering on her. She looks lovely. Event – appropriate, chic, and a solid choice for a repeat.
I’m not in general a fan of the high-low hemline, but I think it’s well done here. There’s some interesting draping that keeps it from looking gimmicky. The makeup is lovely today–a bit of a brighter eye and cheek.
Super impressed that she can fit into a dress she wore while still at fighting weight!
I love the brighter lip color! It really makes her face come alive. As to the navy color, I think most of us have colors we return to again and again. I seldom wear prints, and notice that Meghan often seems overwhelmed when she wears prints. I’m not sure Meghan has to be like the Queen and have a rainbow wardrobe of matching hats, purses, shoes and coats. Meghan also wears a lot of white and shades of olive green/deep green. I think she always looks wonderful and appropriate!
I thought the bolder lip colour was great on Meghan, upping the glamour just a notch.
A repeat is just fine. This dress looks good on Meghan. I would have preferred darker shoes, the same as the purse and a bit more embellishment. A necklace or brooch would have helped. Mostly Meghan is so minimal and I see we are back into the navy/black slump again. With all the resources of money, designers and stylists, Meghan needs to show much more variety and more colour.
It’s hard to see in the pictures, ur the front of the dress has double-Breast, rather large buttons. Anything more going on accessory-wise would have been too much. Maybe a bangle, or the tennis bracelet …
How did I not notice the button detail on this before? Completely missed it before. This is a very pretty dress, Im a fan of the high low hemline its fun to wear. It looks like Meghan went for a brighter lip color this evening, a pretty pink. She looks very chic! ?
Gorgeous! Is it possible the shoes have been repaired with a new heel cap? I know personally that’s a repair I frequently have made to my shoes as the heel caps wear out quickly.
That’s a good question, and something I’ve also done. It’s possible, but the soles look pretty new. 🙂
The earrings are Emily Mortimer Jewellery. They are our Nova Gold White Topaz Earrings.
https://www.emilymortimer.co.uk/ourshop/prod_6214761-Nova-Gold-White-Topaz-Earrings.html
Best wishes,
Emily
She looks fantastic here. It’s nice to see a repeat and I love her accessories. I wish I had the budget for all of her jewelry, I love it. It seems they got along quite well with the PM of New Zealand which is nice to see, since I gather that’s one of the points of these tours (to establish relationships, etc.)
Kia ora Becky, I wish I had the budget for just one pair of The Duchess’s heels ? I’m a huge shoe afficionado. I can’t begin to imagine what it must be like to be able to buy several pairs of the same expensive shoe in various colours without even having to look at the price-tag.