CULTURE

Meghan Markle Wears Pink Nail Polish to Public Royal Outing

Ballet Slippers or bust.

by Leah Prinzivalli

meghan markle touching her face at a public outing
Getty Images

As Meghan Markle settles into her new role as Duchess of Sussex, some have been secretly hoping that she’ll continue to break those pesky royal rules. She recently wore a ponytail to Prince Louis’s christening, and she received some royal-watcher flak for appearing in public without wearing Queen Elizabeth’s sanctioned flesh-colored tights during her engagement photo shoot. But when it comes to manicures, Markle has been known to toe the royal line.

For instance, Markle’s wedding day manicure followed royal protocol. If you didn’t know, all members of the royal family are allegedly banned from wearing dark polish, and are instead required to choose a shade that looks natural, which is exactly what the Duchess did. She decided on a sheer pastel pink for her trip down the aisle that was reminiscent of Kate Middleton wedding day digits. Meanwhile, Middleton wore the Essie shade named after Allure{: rel=nofollow} when she wed Prince William in 2011.

As Vogue reports, Markle’s latest nail look features a “pastel rose nail lacquer” shade that manages to follow the queen’s rule against “vulgar” colorful nail polish, while still shining enough to stand out. Of course, it helps that the powder pink shade matched perfectly with her dress, heels, and bag. Paired with the pretty flush on her cheeks, the polish ties together Markle’s sophisticated look.

Samir Hussein/Getty Images
Samir Hussein/Getty Images
Samir Hussein/Getty Images

Rather than play by the neutral-toned rules, Middleton has been known to ditch polish entirely for every day, keeping her nails manicured, yet bare. So far, Markle has found a way to make the rules work for her. Chances are we won’t be seeing a bright red anytime soon, though time will tell.

Related: Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle Color-Coordinated for Wimbledon Outing