As the royal wedding draws near and details of the big day are gradually unveiled, many eagerly await perhaps the biggest reveal to come: Meghan Markleās wedding dress.
Although Markle has remained mum about the details of her gown, royal experts say they have a good idea of what to expect, and itāll be nothing like the regal Alexander McQueen gown Kate Middleton wore for her 2011 wedding to Prince William.
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Based on hints from Markleās personal wardrobe, coupled with her own subtle cues in choosing a wedding gown for her character -- paralegal Rachel Zane on the television legal dramaāSuitsā -- hereās what we can expect from Prince Harryās bride-to-be.
1. The design will (mostly) be Markleās own choice
Markle, unlike her soon-to-be sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, will likely have more freedom in choosing the style of her wedding dress.
Patricia Treble, a reporter who runs the news site , told CTVNews.ca that Kate Middletonās choice of a more traditional gown reflected the role she would assume as future Queen consort.
āWhile Kate Middleton knew her wedding dress would be scrutinized forever as that of a future queen, the rules are far more relaxed for Meghan Markle,ā Treble said. āBasically, she can wear what she likes.ā
Still, despite Markle having more say when it comes to her wedding dress, advisers to the Royal Family will likely have the final word.
āThere definitely will be advisers from the palace involved to make sure that sheās not choosing something thatās, say, electric blue or a mini dress,ā Amanda Dishaw, editorial director of , told CTVNews.ca.
2. āDonāt expect anything risquéā
Based on what we know of Markleās style, the former actress chooses pieces that are classic, timeless, and simple, and itās expected that sheāll honour her personal style when choosing her wedding dress.
āGiven Meghan's style is refined, ladylike yet modern, don't expect anything risqué,ā Treble said.
Although Markle veered away from tradition for her engagement photoshoot, opting for a semi-sheer, black evening gown from British designer Ralph & Russo,Dishaw says itās unlikely Markle will do the same on her big day.
āBecause of the formality of the event, I think that she will maybe put some of those racier types of items back on the shelf and go with something thatās a little bit more subdued, just given the social aspects of the wedding, of the Queen and everyone being there,ā Dishaw said.
3. Itāll be a simple, clean, and elegant look
Markleās current wardrobe favours a neutral colour palette, clean lines, and minimal adornments, so it will be no surprise if her dream wedding gown falls in line with this simplistic theme.
In a 2016 interview with , Markle said her favourite celebrity wedding gown was the one worn by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in 1996 for her wedding to John F. Kennedy Jr.
āEverything goals,ā is how Markle referred to the satin, slip-like gown designed by .
Treble said she expects Markle to wear a āsimple, elegant gown with a short train, likely with a softer profile than Kate Middletonās wedding dress.ā
āIt may include chiffon or lace, but is unlikely to be as intricate,ā Treble added.
āThe whole top, the arms, were all fitted in lace ā lots of lace adornment,ā Dishaw said. āI donāt think weāll see that on Meghanās dress.ā
4. It wonāt be like the gown on āSuitsā
Probably the biggest giveaway about Markleās taste in wedding dresses came when the former actress was choosing a gown for her character Rachel Zane in 2016.
Markle worked closely with the in Toronto alongside her close friend (and now rumoured maid of honour) Jessica Mulroney to find a dress best suited for the first of two wedding scenes featuring Markle and co-star Patrick J. Adams.
Although Markle had a say in what her character would wear on screen, Markle also revealed the dress she picked for Rachel would not be the kind of dress sheād choose for her own wedding, Dishaw said.
Rather, Markle was quoted in saying she would opt for something more āpared down and relaxedā ā reminiscent of her real-life sense of style ā adding that she prefers more āwhimsical or subtly romanticā wedding dresses.
5. The designer will be one close to Markleās heart
Since announcing the royal engagement, the rumour mill has been churning with ideas about who will be chosen to design Markleās dream dress. , , , , and the Queenās couturier were among the names tossed around.
Kate Middletonās dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, a designer that Markle has also been spotted wearing.
āThatās still a choice for Meghan to wear Alexander McQueen . . . But Iād be surprised if she went the same designer as Kate,ā Dishaw said.
In recent weeks, much attention has been on Montreal-born, London-based designer Erdem Moralioglu, who has ties to both Canada and Britain. Canada is known to be a special location for the couple, as theyāre said to have first met on a blind date in Toronto.
The hunch for Erdem is also stronger because Markle has been spotted wearing the designer in the past and is said to have a long-standing relationship with Moralioglu himself.
Indeed, in perhaps the biggest hint the British fashion house is designing the wedding dress of the year, have suggested the British fashion house is āstaffing up.ā
