Glamour girl turned duchess: Meghan tones down

LONDON - Muted colors, long dresses and chaste necklines: Meghan has had to tone down her fashion choices since marrying Prince Harry in May, but still occasionally displays some of her past style.

It was a question that many asked ahead of the wedding: Would the chilled-out Los Angeles actress frequently seen in short skirts and sandals fit into the British royal family mold?

Would the newly-minted Duchess of Sussex imitate the typically English conservative style associated with Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, wife of her brother-in-law Prince William?

Would Meghan, who turns 37 on Saturday, have to become demure?

"Before the wedding, Meghan cultivated a casual Californian look that was a nod to her LA upbringing," said Elizabeth Vollman, who manages the website Meghan's Fashion.

"Since becoming a duchess, her style has had to evolve to befit her new royal role and she has dropped the effortless chic look in favor of a tailored and demure style, opting for French designers and neutral shades," she said.

Meghan said last year that she felt most comfortable in "jeans, cut-offs and flip-flops".

By marrying Queen Elizabeth II's grandson, Meghan has joined the royal family - an institution whose traditions dominate the lives of its members, including their clothing choices.

At her first public engagement on May 22, three days after her wedding, Meghan wore a long pale pink dress by Goat, a British designer, along with a hat, a handbag and stockings.

She has shown signs of at least some originality, however. "Meghan has occasionally pushed the boundaries of the royal dress code," said Vollman, pointing to a "daring" shoulder-baring sleeveless outfit by Carolina Herrera she wore at the Trooping of the Colour military parade in June.

Agence France-Presse