CULTURE

Meghan Markle Wore a $35 H&M Maternity Dress to Play With Puppies at One of Her New Patronages

The third trimester is perhaps the only appropriate time to call a duchess "fat."


Meghan Markle
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Typically, it’s not especially polite to comment on pregnant women’s bodies, and definitely not on pregnant royals‘ bodies. But if there were ever a time to break this royal protocol, it certainly makes sense that Meghan Markle, duchess of breaking royal protocol, would be the subject. On Wednesday, while visiting animal charity Mayhew, one of her recently announced patronages, Meghan was greeting her hosts when one woman gestured toward the duchess’s baby bump and quipped, “You’re a fat lady!” Meghan, always a good sport, joined in on the group’s shocked laughter, saying, “I’ll take it!”

For the visit, Meghan wore a chic mixture of high and low pieces. She sported a beige sweater dress from H&M‘s maternity line, Mama, according to Hello!‘s royal correspondent Emily Nash. The cozy dress retails for $34.99 and features long sleeves, a stand-up turtleneck collar, and subtle gathering at the sides but unfortunately is already sold out on the retailer’s website. She topped the dress with a matching cream-colored cashmere peacoat by Emporio Armani; a similar coat from the designer retails for $2,795.

Meghan completed her monochrome outfit with coordinating Manolo Blahnik Allura 105 slingback pumps, and she carried the Falabella tote from Stella McCartney (her wedding-reception-dress designer) in ivory, with gold-chain detailing. She wore her hair down, in loose waves, and wore her usual fresh-faced, peachy makeup.

Kirsty O’Connor/PA Images via Getty Images

While most onlookers would probably put it a little more delicately, it’s true that Meghan’s baby bump seems to suddenly be growing at a rapid pace. Earlier this week, royal reporters overheard her and Prince Harry discussing the upcoming new addition, revealing that Meghan is due sometime in late April or early May, meaning she’s likely about six months’ pregnant and just beginning her third trimester now.

Until the baby arrives, though, Meghan is keeping up with her usual packed schedule of appearances. That due-date reveal went down while she and Harry were in Birkenhead to meet students from Kilgarth School, talk to local veterans, and visit Tomorrow’s Women Wirral, an organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic abuse. Wednesday’s solo trip to Mayhew, too, was a busy one, spent discussing the charity’s efforts with administrators and volunteers and, of course, cuddling with rescue dogs.

Related: [Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton Made the Same Style Pact as Diana and Fergie](https://www.wmagazine.com/story/meghan-kate-different-style