Who Pays For Kate Middleton's And Meghan Markle's Stunning Royal Outfits?

Whenever Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle step out of the palace, everything else becomes a blur. Thanks to their spectacular wardrobe, the two duchesses are certified stunners. Considering how chic and classy these two royal ladies are, it is understandable why many people wonder who foots the bills for their expensive outfits.

Most of the dresses worn by Kate and Meghan are creations of some of the world’s most renowned designers, including Alexander McQueen, Erdem and Carolina Herrera. Every outfit they wear costs hundreds of pounds, and while they are well heeled to afford their own clothes, the truth is that the money spent on these pieces don’t come from their own pockets.

Pretty incredible wardrobe is part and parcel of being a royal. And as to what Kate and Meghan and their husbands wear to official royal engagements, it is Prince Charles who picks up the tab. His annual income from his Duchy of Cornwall business provides more than enough funding to cover the wardrobe costs for himself, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The leftover for his own personal expenditure goes to the annual upkeep of his property and private staff.

Since Meghan became a part of the royal family, the budget that Prince Charles spends on the wardrobes has significantly skyrocketed. In 2018, he spent £4.96 million (about $6.5 million) on Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan and Kate’s wardrobes, an increase of £1.43 million ($1.88 million) from the £3.52 million ($4.6 million) he had spent before Meghan became a royal.

No official rule states that Prince Charles should pay for the wardrobes of Kate and Meghan. He can spend the money he gets from the Duchy Estate however he wants, and it’s entirely up to him if he wants to cover the cost of Kate and Meghan’s wardrobes. Thanks to his good heart, however, the two duchesses get to live their royal dreams for free!

Both Kate and Meghan didn’t get funding from Prince Charles before they were officially royals. In fact, Prince Charles did not start picking up the tab for Meghan’s clothing until Prince Harry put a ring on it. Before their wedding, Meghan Markle had to spend almost $30,000 from her own pocket on clothing for royal events.