Meghan Markle caused a buzz during Paris Fashion Week at the weekend, when she made a surprise appearance at Pierpaolo Piccioli’s debut Balenciaga show. While her first all-white look—an oversized button-down shirt, paired with wide-legged trousers and a matching cape—represented an elevated take on the stealth wealth wardrobe that’s synonymous with Montecito, the millionaires’ enclave in which she now resides, her after-party outfit—a sleek black dress featuring a cape, also by Balenciaga—has long been a classic go-to for the Duchess of Sussex.
Indeed, Meghan’s love of an LBD goes back to her acting days, when she would often be photographed wearing a black minidress on the red carpet. Take the velvet peplum dress that she sported for an awards dinner in 2011, or the sequined off-shoulder number that she opted for at a Suits event in 2012.
During her time as a working royal, the Duchess would also regularly turn to her trusty black dresses. For the Fashion Awards in 2018, Meghan—then pregnant with Archie—wore a custom one-shoulder velvet dress by her wedding dress designer Givenchy, while at The Lion King premiere in 2019, she went for a sheer-panelled, fit-and-flare dress by Jason Wu.
Below, see all of Meghan’s best LBDs to date.
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Wearing a black velvet peplum dress at an awards dinner in Los Angeles.
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In an off-shoulder sequin dress for a Suits fashion show event in New York.
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At the London premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in a black embellished minidress by Alexander McQueen.
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Wearing a strapless ruched dress featuring bow detailing on the side at the London Global Gift Gala.
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In LA-based brand Black Halo’s Jackie O dress while attending a women’s empowerment reception during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.
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Wearing a black Givenchy dress featuring velvet panelling and sheer sleeves for the opening of the Oceania exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts.
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In a custom Gabriela Hearst dress for a meeting with the then-New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern.
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Wearing a one-shoulder velvet gown by Givenchy at the Fashion Awards in London.
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At the London premiere of The Lion King, wearing a sheer-panelled dress by Jason Wu.
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Wearing a strapless black gown by Oscar de la Renta at the Paley Honours Gala in Beverly Hills.
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In a custom caped Balenciaga dress for the brand’s after-party at Paris Fashion Week.
