Here's What Will Happen To Meghan Markle's Royal Wardrobe

Meghan Markle isn't one to shy away from breaking royal rules or traditions, so even though Buckingham Palace was seemingly shocked by Markle and Prince Harry's announcement that they would be taking a "step back" from their royal duties, the decision seems in keeping with Markle's style. Speaking of style, in their infamous Instagram post announcing what's become known as "Megxit," the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they were wanted to "become financially independent." What will that look like and — at the risk of sounding shallow — how will that impact Markle's look?  

Since the couple said "I do," Meghan and Harry's lifestyle — including her costly wardrobe — has been funded by the Duchy of Cornwall estate (aka Harry's dad, Prince Charles.) But considering these royal renegades have royally upset the royal family, it's quite possible that Markle's wardrobe — or at the very least, her clothing budget — could be in jeopardy. We can explain.

Meghan Markle has seriously upped her fashion game since joining forces with Prince Harry. While she hasn't always abided by the royal family dress code, she always looks fabulous, and that's thanks, in part, to the countless designer duds in her wardrobe. Since becoming a royal, Markle has rocked everything from Calvin Klein to Givenchy.

Lucky for her, early reports suggest the duchess will probably get to keep all the clothes currently sitting in her closet, even if they were purchased via the royal budget. "Recently, she's worn everything from Club Monaco to Banana Republic, and those [clothes] I think she can keep," royal expert Emma Forbes told Page Six. Forbes also noted that it's likely the duchess will also get to keep any royal jewelry that she's been given — including Princess Diana's aquamarine ring. "I don't think the royal family would strip her of anything like that," she said. "I don't think it'll be so much about them taking stuff away from her, but more about how to do things moving forward." 

Markle isn't afraid to recycle items from her enviable closet, so we're willing to bet she can still make things work. However, there's one irreplaceable item that might be missing from her collection post-Megxit.

On her wedding day, Meghan Markle donned a stunning, silk Givenchy gown. In addition to her 16-foot veil, she wore a diamond and platinum bandeau tiara. Seeing as how the art deco tiara was on loan from her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, Markle probably doesn't have it sitting in her closet. But if her wedding dress is currently in her possession, that might not be the case for much longer. 

"I don't think her wedding dress would be her property," royal expert Emma Forbes told Page Six. That seems a bit odd considering that, even though Kensington Palace reportedly paid for the "core aspects of the wedding,” it was expected that Markle would foot the bill for her wedding dress as Kate Middleton did for her wedding to Prince William in 2011. There's no word at this point as to whether or not Markle actually ended up paying for her gown (which she totally could afford given her impressive net worth,) but even if the royal family chipped in, is that really grounds for taking the dress away altogether? That seems extremely harsh. 

While distancing herself from the royal family won't be without its financial pitfalls, the freedom Meghan Markle will gain could be invaluable. According to royal expert Emma Forbes, as the Duchess of Sussex, Markle wasn't able to "accept gifts from designers," but now she'll have a little more wiggle room when it comes to freebies. "I'm sure there will be a way around her accepting freebies, because since they're not going to be in the royal family in any kind of traditional shape or form, they'll have to rewrite those rules," she told Page Six.

According to The Sun, Markle is allegedly already in talks with top fashion brands to negotiate commercial deals. "There have already been active discussions with Givenchy," an insider said. "Some of these deals could be worth millions of pounds." 

Only time will tell, but given Markle's passion for fashion, we wouldn't be surprised if she steps back from her royal duties and struts right into a very stylish partnership. Regardless of what Markle does next, we know she'll put her best foot forward — no matter what she's wearing.