Meghan Markle’s Hardest-Working Wardrobe Staple Has Never Changed

A striped shirt has become an iconic element of Meghan Markle’s wardrobe, much like her beloved Chanel ballet flats and the Cartier Juste Un Clou bracelet. Remember her appearance at the 2017 Invictus Games? At that event, a then-pre-royal Meghan donned a blue and white button-down by designer and friend Misha Nonoo. Fast forward to the Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in 2020, where she participated from her home during lockdown in a similar design from With Nothing Underneath, later sporting a Ralph Lauren shirt for a promotional video in 2023.

Throughout her journey with Harry, a lot has changed in Meghan’s world, yet one thing remains unchanged: her collection of blue and white shirts. These pieces regularly feature in With Love, Meghan episodes and her engaging Instagram Reels. She showcased another striking look this morning during her appearance at Project Healthy Minds’ Festival in New York, where she discussed youth wellness in the digital age. Meghan paired her Ralph Lauren shirt—this time tucked into high-waisted trousers—with a trendy Loro Piana Loom bag that subtly rested off-stage. Harry kicked off the discussion by remarking, “The past five years have taught us painfully that crises rarely arrive in isolation. The global pandemic stripped away the ordinary scaffolding of life and brought about a notable increase in anxiety, depression, and loss of connection. Our digital world has fundamentally altered how we perceive reality.”

Meghan’s casual corporate ensemble represented a more laid-back choice compared to the previous night’s outfit—an elegant Armani suit accented with an Anine Bing necklace and Guzema Fine Jewelry earrings—when she and Harry were recognized as Humanitarians of the Year at the World Mental Health Day Gala. Even that attire was modest in comparison to the ivory button-down shirt, wide-leg trousers, and wrap-around shawl she wore at Pierpaolo Piccioli’s inaugural Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week. During her speech accepting the award, she remarked, “Our children, Archie and Lilibet, are just six and four years old—can you believe it? Thankfully, they’re still too young for social media, but we are acutely aware that this day is approaching. Like many parents, we continuously think about how to leverage technology’s benefits while protecting against its risks. That delicate balance is swiftly becoming an impossible task.”