Prince William and Prince Harry’s cousin defends Meghan Markle’s ‘inappropriate’ wedding dress

The Duchess of Sussex wore a Givenchy gown designed by Clare Waight Keller

The late Queen Elizabeth II is said to have shown concern about the Duchess of Sussex’s wedding dress, apparently describing it as “too white” for a divorcee to wear when marrying in a church.

But while Meghan may have caused raised eyebrows among some, Prince William and Prince Harry’s cousin, Maddison May Brudenell, has defended the Duchess’ choice of gown and colour.

Speaking to the Daily Mail‘s Richard Eden, Maddison – whose grandmother Lady Pamela Hicks was the late Queen’s lady-in-waiting – said: “In the monarch’s view, it was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church to look quite so flamboyantly virginal.

“My mother, our late Queen’s goddaughter, had said exactly the same to me, and that other family members would agree.”

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Meghan wore a beautiful gown designed by Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller for her Windsor church wedding

Maddison, who married Canadian welder Bret Kapetanov in October 2024, added: “My mum was speaking out of love. I didn’t let my feelings overcome me – we talked about it.

“However, as I told my mother, we may as well splash muddy water, drip some blood, sweat and tears on it for good measure.

“As it happens, my dress did have a lot of unique components, but these were because of what I chose and not in any way what I felt I must choose. My mother listened to my wisdom and respected my style.”

Maddison’s modern wedding dress

Former Ralph Lauren model and mother-of-four Maddison married her fiancé Bret on 26 October 2024 at the 15th-century St Mary the Virgin Church where she was christened, in a wedding exclusively covered by HELLO! magazine.

Maddison defied expectations with her two modern bridal gowns, one of which was a rich green colour.

For the church ceremony, she wore a bespoke wedding dress by Laura Green of Modern Bride featuring a sheer organza illusion neckline and a satin A-line skirt that fell to the ankles.

With its shorter length, Maddison showed off her white platform Christian Louboutin heels.

Her second gown

For the reception, the bride changed into a deep green gown by Forever New with an off-the-shoulder neckline, a velvet bodice and a pleated skirt.

She accessorised with white gloves, pearl drop earrings by Caroline Svedbom, and a custom-made necklace by The Rock Hound featuring pearls and an aquamarine pendant from her bridal tiara.

Meghan Markle’s wedding dress

The Duchess of Sussex, meanwhile, also wore two wedding dresses on her big day in 2018.

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Newlyweds Harry and Meghan kiss following their wedding ceremony

She opted for a beautiful gown designed by Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller for her Windsor church wedding. It featured a bateau neckline, three-quarter length sleeves, and a fitted bodice that highlighted her slender waist.

The dress perfectly embodied her “effortless American style,” said the designer, who described the finished product as: “Not overly feminine, but not really minimal either.”

Clare explained: “We wanted to create a timeless piece that would emphasise the iconic codes of Givenchy throughout its history, as well as convey modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts.”

Hidden details of Meghan’s dress

Following the tradition of including ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,’ Meghan also had a special bit of fabric hidden and sewn into the hem of her gown – a blue gingham check piece from the dress she wore on her first date with Prince Harry.

And for her evening reception, Meghan changed into a halter-neck dress that featured a daring open back by Stella McCartney.

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Meghan’s second dress was a slinkier number

This was the former Suits actress’ second wedding. She was previously married to film producer Trevor Engelson between 2011 and 2014.

Traditionally, royal protocol suggests that a bride who has been previously married should opt for a gown in a colour other than pure white.