The Duchess wore an Australian brand for her first official tour engagement today, along with some very special jewelry pieces.
It was the first appearance for the Duke and Duchess since this morning’s announcement by Kensington Palace that Meghan is expecting a child. (Our post on that news may be seen here.)
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The couple started their busy day at Admiralty House with a welcome ceremony hosted by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Lynne Cosgrove.
From Sir Peter’s remarks:
Lynne and I, on behalf of all Australians, are delighted to congratulate Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the news that they are expecting their first child.
As you can see from the picture just above, the official Sydney residence for the Governor-General offers stunning views. This picture of the house by Simon Perry of People magazine was actually taken in 2014 when the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge were in Australia.
In addition to the ceremonial welcome, there was an opportunity to meet representatives of the eighteen countries taking part in the Invictus Games. A photo posted by The Daily Mail’s Rebecca English shows some of those representatives. 
The rain we saw yesterday was gone; it was a bright, sunny morning in Sydney. 
Meghan and Harry received their very first official gifts for Baby Sussex from the Cosgroves. The Governor-General said they “…took the opportunity to give Their Royal Highnesses a gift to mark their big news.” You can see Harry holding the tiny pair of Uggs they were given and Meghan has a stuffed Kangaroo with its own little joey. 
They were also given Akubra hats, a classic Australian brand that we have seen Prince William wearing. 
The next stop for the Duke and Duchess was the renowned Taronga Zoo. You see them arriving in this quick video from Omid Scobie.
#HarryandMeghan have arrived at @tarongazoo to open Institute of Science & Learning. pic.twitter.com/RqYpt2uoxf
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) October 15, 2018
You can see that Meghan added a trench coat atop her dress.
They were on hand to officially open the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning. 
The Duke and Duchess met two koalas and their joeys, part of the Zoo’s breeding program. 
Their names: “Harry” and “Meghan.” They were a wedding gift to the couple from the people of New South Wales. 
Meghan and Harry are chatting with Dasha and Finley after four-year-old Finley gave the Duchess a posey. You can see the plaque on the wall behind Harry commemorating the opening of the Institute. 
ITV’s Lizzie Robinson noted that Meghan and Harry were also given gifts at the zoo. 
The Duchess was given a large bouquet of flowers at the zoo; Harry’s response was cute.
“you can’t give flowers that big to my wife, what’s that all about?!” lmao harry is such a dork pic.twitter.com/LgWird2qzs
— barb (@nocompanies) October 16, 2018
The pair then left the zoo, boarding a boat for their trip to the iconic Sydney Opera House. 7News Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr noted that the Duchess slipped on a pair of flats for the boat ride. 
Another view.
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They landed at the Man ‘O War steps, a site British and Australian fleets have used for landing and embarkation for more than 150 years. A plaque at the site reads:
This Landing Area, Erected For The Royal Navy, Was Taken Over By The Royal Australian Navy in 1913. For 150 Years, Man O`War Steps Served As A Landing And
Embarkation Point For Men Of The British And Australian Fleets In Peace And War.From These Steps 2,215 Officers And Sailors Of The Royal Australian Navy Left To Serve Their Country In The Great War 1914-1918, The Second World War
1939 – 1945, Korea, Malaya and Vietnam, Never To Return To Enjoy The Fruits Of Their Labours In Their Native LandYe Who Tread Their Footsteps, Remember Their Glory
The couple watched a Bangarra Dance Theatre rehearsal. The group is considered one of Australia’s leading First Nations performing arts companies. 
All dancers are “classically trained and each has a proud Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background” according to a news release. 
After the rehearsal the Duke and Duchess did their first walkabout in Australia.
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As you can see, there were an awful lot of people eager to see the royals.
This video from The Sun’s Emily Andrews offer a good view of the crowd.
Video: a little @byEmilyAndrews tour of the crowds outside Sydney Harbour House with Meghan & Harry in there shaking as many hands as possible. #RoyalVisitAustralia #royalvisitaus pic.twitter.com/bh6kkAK8UG
— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) October 16, 2018
One of the more touching moments of the walkabout came when Harry took Meghan over to meet 98-year-old Daphne Dunne. The Prince met Daphne on two previous occasions when he visited Sydney.
A still photo shows the trio.
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Both Meghan and Harry weren’t shy about getting down on a lower level to chat with people.
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This photo by the Sydney Opera House of Meghan is lovely.
Now to what Meghan wore for today’s engagements. She was in a dress by Karen Gee, an Australian brand. She was wearing the “Blessed” style, from the company’s ‘classics’ line. 
It is described as featuring “… a simple, structured fit designed to contour the body for a sleek silhouette. A timeless classic that will take you from day to night with ease.” 
Jessica Ridley of 7News Sydney posted a video showing the garment.
‘Blessed’ by Karen Gee – the most talked about dress of the day, worn by the Duchess of Sussex, on her first appearance in Sydney since announcing she and Prince Harry are expecting a baby! #royaltouraus @7NewsSydney pic.twitter.com/9S7CjeHHF4
— Jessica Ridley (@jessicaridleytv) October 16, 2018
The brand was founded just five years ago. All pieces are made to order in Australia using ethically sourced fabric. More from the company’s ‘about page’:
Encompassing the utmost importance of positive body image, inner beauty and self-worth, the brand was formed with a primary focus on style and helping women feel not only comfortable but confident, each design promises the perfect fit and the ability to celebrate all women, regardless of shape or size.
The dress retails for $1800 AUD, roughly $1300 at today’s exchange rates.
The flats Meghan changed into before boarding the boat to the Sydney Opera House are from Rothy’s – The Pointed flats in black, $145.00
You may be familiar with the brand from seeing their promotional ads on Facebook and Instagram. Known for their knit uppers which are made from 100% post-consumer plastic water bottles. The company aims to use recycled and renewable materials in all of their shoes as well as their packaging products.
From Rothy’s site:
At Rothy’s, our mission is to create a new kind of shoe for women: one that is versatile, chic and durable. And we want to do it right, with as little waste and impact to the environment as possible.”
Her trench coat is by designer Martin Grant from the S/S 2019 collection.
It is from the designer’s s/ 2019 collection and called the Classic Cotton Straight Cut Trench Coat. It retailed at $1690 when available for pre-ordering from Moda Operandi. It is currently shown as sold out, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it become available again. It is described as a “timeless trench silhouette with a collared neckline and seam detailing.”
Meghan was wearing a pair of butterfly earrings that belonged to Diana, the late Princess of Wales.
That discovery was shared on Twitter by The Royal Watcher.
Our thanks also to Betty Bader, she pointed out that the Duchess was wearing a bracelet that belonged to Diana.
The Royal Order of Splendor shared a photo of the late Princess wearing the bracelet.
Meghan is wearing Diana’s butterfly earrings today, and I believe her gold bracelet with blue stones is also one that belonged to Diana. pic.twitter.com/gDo69tF68h
— Order of Splendor (@orderofsplendor) October 16, 2018
Meghan wore her Stuart Weitzman ‘Legend’ Pumps ($375). 
We have not yet identified Meghan’s coat.
This is roughly 3 minutes showing the events at the Taronga Zoo.
A quick note: on the right sidebar we have added a clock that shows the current time in Sydney. (Because yours truly cannot do time zone conversions to save her life. – sek) This shows you where the widget is on the page. 
NOTE: A request that comments about Meghan’s status be respectful. The fact she is expecting does not mean she is a target for inconsiderate or inappropriate comments.
LINKAGE:
- The Governor-General’s website is here; the Facebook page is here
- The Invictus Games Sydney website is here; the organization’s Facebook page is here; its Instagram page is here; the group’s Twitter feed is here
- The Taronga Zoo website is here; the Facebook page is here, Twitter feed here and Instagram page here; the Institute of Science and Learning site is here
- The Sydney Opera House website is here; its Facebook page is here; the Instagram page is here; the Twitter feed is here
- The Bangarra Dance Theatre site is here; its Facebook page here; the organization’s Instagram page is here and its Twitter feed is here
Thank you for this lovely post. I’m not much of a crier but, hearing how utterly sweet and genuine Meghan and Harry were being with Daphne I couldn’t help but tear up a bit! These are truly some quality people.
The clothes were beautiful, the jewelry such a delightful surprise and I enjoyed seeing Meghan at her “true” height. How on earth does she wear those high heels for hours?
The thing that I find most striking about this lovely, crisp sheath is that it’s the perfect length and cut for elegantly crouching down to greet children and others. A good pick for this day!
Fun to see the earrings and the bracelet. I’ve seen people on other sites speculating the stones are diamonds and sapphires or lapis, but having followed Diana avidly as a teenager, I know well some of her most fun pieces were fakes. There’s a fun shop called Butler & Wilson in South Kensington where she was said to have picked up a number of things. I was there a few years ago and the whole place sparkled! It was too overwhelming to pick out something from their expensive fakes, but fun to look.
Day 1 of the tour was certainly full of a variety of official events and I thought Meghan’s dress by Karen Gee truly took her through a multitude of engagements. Really liked the choice of white. Very fresh, clean and stately. I’m sure Meghan feels “Blessed” and RELIEVED to not have to cover herself up and employ distractions to hide her pregnancy.
I become very nostalgic when Meghan wears jewelry from the late Diana Princess of Wales. Very touching. Today I also thought about how communication has changed since the 1980s and how “back in the day” I would digest my sister’s People magazines…she had a subscription and received a new one each week so it was about as current as you could get. I’d follow Diana and Fergie’s comings and goings but now I have WMW and WKW and you all.
By Meghan choosing to forego any other jewelry (except for her engagement ring and wedding band) I though Diana’s pieces were highlighted and given the spotlight. What other pieces could have added to that statement?
Chuckled at the photo of Meghan and Harry attending the Bangarra Dance Theatre rehearsal. Harry seems to be checking out the beards on the two dancers, hehehe! I’ve noticed Harry’s beard has seemed extremely well groomed lately.
Boy, Harry and Meghan sure are so much fun together! What a fun time for them.
Meghan’s dress and whole outfit was perfection.
Perfection from head to toe, and three months pregnant! It must feel both overwhelming and exciting to have the world know their big news.
These are the flats she used: https://rothys.com/womens/flats/pointed-toe-flats
Absolutely stunning! The colour, the fit/tailoring, the local designer, and Diana’s jewelry are all perfect, and I even like the nude pumps and coat with this. This has all the makings of an iconic look (even disregarding all of the various bits of significance yesterday) and I hope that we’ll continue to see photos of it for years to come.
Great post. You’ve managed to gather a wonderful mix of pictures. I love that coat. And Di’s bracelet matches Harry’s suit. ?
Love, love, love the trench!! SO chic. She does breezy, cool, chic, French, new updated classic so well!
A superb classic sheath impeccably cut with such fiendish cunning it can skim right over any minor bumps on the way. The slightly raised waist with a touch of extra accomdating fabric is judged to perfection and Meghan looks as sleek as ever. Exciting to learn of a new and young Australian brand, Karen Gee.
Her hair is looking wonderful and glossy and it’s a wonderful touch that she’s been able to incorporate Diana’s jewellery without moving away from her own signature style. I’m impressed how both she and Kate can manage this.
The nude pumps are great here, doing their leg-lengthening bit. Very glad to see Meghan had flats to change into for the boat ride, and the summer coat to ward off sea breezes. All round a winning look.
Just a note, since I’ve seen some comments about season-appropriateness here: it’s spring in Australia right now! I think she looks lovely and can’t wait to see what else she wears on this trip.
Thank you for mentioning this Megan – I’ve noted that we may want to add this into one of our posts. We’re both running on coffee (me, SC) and diet coke (SEK) and long LONG nights! Plus I have to get up for work in the mornings! SO, appreciate this! – SC
Wow, I didn’t realize you have a day job. Thank you so much for your hard work on this blog!
Isn’t she amazing?! 🙂
Thanks! Yes, I work full-time AND I could not do it all without my amazing and great partner-in-all-things-blogging Susan Kelley!! 🙂
A very nice start to the tour! I think the dress and trench together are a great look–very “Suits,” really–though without the trench I find myself wishing for a little more detail. A chunky necklace, maybe? It’s sweet of her to have chosen pieces that Princess Diana owned, but I’m not sure either piece is doing much for the outfit.
But yes–gosh–she looks very beautiful and VERY happy, and to my eye she still looks very slim. Anyone can find a few unflattering photos and say “baby bump,” but if you look at the videos she looks as slender as ever.
What brand are the flats? ?
Hi Flavia – we just got word this morning and will be updating the post – they are Rothy’s. Thanks, SC
I love this dress on her. It reminds me of the yellow one she wore in July to the reception for young leaders of the commonwealth (I think it was that one.) And the fact that it is an Australian designer, ethically sourced, etc – just perfect all around. I don’t love nude shoes in general but as long as she doesn’t wear them with every outfit I’ll get over it for this occasion 🙂 Jewelry is perfect, I think a necklace would have gone well but I feel like she tends to avoid necklaces besides some of the thin ones she wears so I’m not surprised she went without this time.
I even like the trench! I would not have liked it if she wore it the whole day but it seems she wore it as an actual coat – when she got chilly at the zoo (you notice she took it off and had it over her arm at one point) and on the boat. I also think it made her outfit a bit more casual for the zoo outing (a formal coat would have looked a little overdressed as she is checking out the koalas.) I also love that she slipped into flats.
And I’m going to echo others and say that the clock is a GREAT idea! I was having a hard time with the time change lol.
I love this white dress! It looks gorgeous, and might be one of my favorite looks on her. And for all this talk about her “maternity wear”, she is barely showing at all. I wonder if her tour wardrobe needed to change at all, or if she can still fit into everything she chose before pregnancy. Depends on the fit, I’m sure. Anyway, she looks lovely, and that dress fits like a dream. What a great choice for the first day- although maybe not the best choice for meeting with the koala 🙂
A stellar look for Meghan. Crisp, simple, elegant and approachable. Diana’s jewelry was a heartwarming touch and added luxe glamour to an understated sheath dress.
I love the comment about this echoing her wedding dress. What a fanrastic start to this much anticipated tour.
They are glowing with happiness!!
The DOS looked really lovely today in her white sheath dress. Her hair looked also very nice today. I was hoping for something more “exciting” in the shoe department as this dress is very plain (but beautiful) and you can really have fun with your accessories. Wearing Princess Diana’s jewelry was definitely a nice touch and must have had so much meaning for the couple.
The few issues I have is that the coat looked messy with the sleeves crunched up liked that, but then again I suppose that is the way she prefers to wear shirts and coats. I also felt that the shoes did not go with the dress that well. I personally prefer to wear suede shoes in autumn and in the winter and then with hose.
She looks incredible, such a natural beauty. Do you know anything about the trenchcoat? Is it a Burberry one?
Thank you for the work you put into this website; it’s amazing!
The trench is being reported as Martin Grant, another Aussie label. So far, two-for-two on her Australian choices. The dress looked lovely, interesting that white can be as camouflaging as black, especially on a sunny day – I wouldn’t have expected that. Meghan looked great today!
Thank you for your excellent blog. There is a gallery of terrific photos from today (so far) in this link. https://www.9news.com.au/world/2015/04/25/13/14/the-young-royal-family The lady in the pink jacket in some of the phoots is the Premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian.
Upon first glance I though this dress seemed entirely appropriate and pretty, but with further inspection I think it requires more tailoring. When looking at photos it appears to need more material under Meghan ‘a arm. At the moment it is causing her dress to not look as polished as it should. However, it does show off her new baby bump very well. I think the dress actually looks better on the model then on her this time. Sadly, I think the trench coat was a total miss. I can appreciate it being a tad colder this time of year, but the coat was much to casual to go with this dress. This dress required something more formal and tailored, something maybe more like Catharine Walker. As one can see in the photos it was much to light of a material with the wind and was constantly being blow up and about, especially at the Sydney Opera House. I did so love seeing new jewelry on her today and it is even more sweet with it being Princess Diana ‘s. Just wondering…was she carrying any type of clutch or purse for today’s engagements that I did not notice?
(Thank you so much for the thought to add a clock in the corner for the next two weeks. It will definitely come in handy.)
I agree. I wish DOS would find a good tailor. Neither this dress nor the ensemble she wore to the wedding fit well.
I remember in a past WhatKateWore post the mention of how DOC would have items remade to her needs. And I also remember posts of Princess Diana doing the same. I’d like to see DOS more polished. Casual if fine, but well fitted, please.
This dress keeps reminding me of her wedding dress, especially with and her and Harry coming down the stairs hand in hand. She looks beautiful and Harry looks so dapper in the full suit. The visit with Daphne ( my departed mother’s name ) was everything. That type of connection transcends class, color, status and wealth. Daphne said, well done Harry and Meghan says maybe next time we will have our little one with us.
Okay I’m moving on. I like the neutral tones which somehow felt bright to me. Love that she is wearing Princess Diana’s jewelry. Both she and Duchess Kate should wear them and wear them often. I think those suede shoes must be comfortable because she wore them in Sussex. I love the way things have started out. Baby announcement, visit with Daphne, Princess Diana’s jewelry….
It’s so nice to see the duchess in a light color! She looked beautiful and radiated happiness. The dress fit well and looked great on her. Nice start to the trip. I’ll bet it is a relief for her not to have to worry about hiding her bump anymore.
I really like that the Duchess is wearing Diana’s butterfly earrings and gold bracelet. Very sweet of The Duke to gift them to his new bride. I am a little surprised that she’s not wearing pantyhose though. They’re representing the Queen and I thought she insisted on pantyhose or tights when on royal business or am I mistaken? The white dress by the Australian designer is diplomatic dressing done well.
In 1987 I was at an event in Wales and the guests of honour were Princes Charles and Princess Diana. My mother in law had worn tights especially because she was in the presence of royalty, and was then surprised to notice that Princess Diana had bare legs. It was a hot day, but I can confirm that royal bare legs have been a thing for at least 30 years!
You are mistaken 🙂 People think that the Queen insists on panty hose but do you really think she cares what her granddaughter in law wears on her leg as long as she is otherwise dressed appropriately? I think most royal women default to hose around the Queen, because she does “probably” prefer it, but there is definitely not a rule about it. We have seen Kate on official business without panty hose as well. (I would bet that Camilla wears hose most of the time, and I imagine sometimes Sophie goes without.)
Congratulations to Meghan and Harry!! I’m so happy for them both!!
Wow, Meghan looks stunning today!! From hair to shoes, this outfit is perfection! And her wearing 2 pieces of Diana’s jewelry warms my heart. Diana had some really lovely jewelry, both real gems and stunning costume pieces, some of which are perfect for Meghan and some of which are perfect for Kate and I can’t wait to see them being worn in the years to come.
Simply stunning, love the colour, cut and drape of this Karen Gee frock. Elegance all around.
I wish dear Daphne could have been invited to a smaller reception so she could have chatted with H&M without that sea of people crushing them. Other than that, it looks like the tour is off to a great start. I hope we see lots of Diana’s and other royal jewelry. It seems like William and Harry might have divided up Diana’s things, since Kate has some and now Meghan does, too.
She looks amazing. So unfair. Of course, now come the stories… and comparisons. 🙂 At 12 weeks, I had gained 25 pounds, and suffered nausea so badly the whole pregnancy. I carried my daughter 9months and 17 days, and finally took the advise to END IT ALREADY, and induced. I was the angriest pregnant woman to EVER walk the planet. My husband didn’t dare speak to me–or even look at me!-for most of the pregnancy. Truly glad Meghan looks so happy and healthy, and ridiculously gorgeous! Can’t wait for her baby fashion!!
I’ve never been pregnant but am ready to agree it’s a treat to see someone looking so well and refreshed during pregnancy where lesser mortals are trying to juggle all sorts. Meghan looks absolutely glowing with happiness.