Meghan Markle says she ‘had to wear nude pantyhose all the time’ as a British royal

By Laura Elston, PA Court Correspondent

Meghan Markle has told how she “had to wear nude pantyhose all the time” as a member of the British royal family, which felt “a little bit inauthentic”.

Meghan, talking about her past life before she quit the working monarchy for a new life in the US, gave an in-depth interview to Bloomberg’s The Circuit With Emily Chang to mark the launch of the second season of her Netflix lifestyle show.

Meghan described how she “couldn’t be as vocal” in the past, and said she was not able to dress the way she wanted to dress, after saying nude tights reminded her of 1980s movies.

Being able to tell her own story was the “most important thing in the world”, she added.

With Love, Meghan show premiered on Tuesday in which she revealed that spending three weeks apart from her children after the late Queen Elizabeth died left her “not well”, and how she dislikes baking and that it was Prince Harry who said he loved her first.

She was asked by Chang: “Is there an inherent tension in trying to be relatable while also being a duchess?”

Meghan gave a little laugh and replied: “No… I’m just being myself. So I think, probably it was different several years ago, where I couldn’t be as vocal and had to wear nude pantyhose all the time.

“Let’s be honest, that was not very myself. I hadn’t seen pantyhose since movies in the 80s when they came in the little egg. That felt a little bit inauthentic.

“But that’s a silly example, but it is an example of when you’re able to dress the way you want to dress, and you’re able to say the things that are true, and you’re able to show up in the space really organically and authentically.”

She added: “And that’s, of course, had different chapters in my life (sic). But right now, no I don’t feel that I need to prove anything.”

Meghan was seen wearing nude tights in her first post-wedding appearance at a Buckingham Palace garden party in 2018, with fashion commentators suggesting they were too pale for her natural skin colour.

Much was made of the sartorial choice, amid claims protocol means royal women have to wear tights on engagements but it is more likely a personal choice rather than a requirement.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II however usually wore nude tights, with many royal women following her lead.

There were also claims the famous row between Kate Middleton and Meghan over Princess Charlotte’s flowergirl dress was because Kate wanted Charlotte to wear tights in keeping with wedding protocol and Meghan did not.

It was initially said Meghan had made Kate cry, until the duchess revealed to Oprah Winfrey it was actually the other way around.

Harry in his memoir Spare wrote that the problem arose because Kate claimed Charlotte’s dress was too long and baggy and needed to be remade.

Meghan also revealed she is relearning French on the Duolingo app late at night, and has not read a book, other than children’s books or parenting books, in a long time.

Meghan also talked about having a “really supported sweet life” in Montecito in a “such beautiful embracing community”, adding: “I’ve been able to really create and dream here.”