Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are carrying out their first trip to Australia since 2018, and on day one, the Duchess of Sussex delivered outfits that felt effortless, yet incredibly intentional. Sticking to her signature clean and minimal style, the duchess paired two new outfits by Australian designers with delicate earrings from Los Angeles-based Real Fine Studio. Wearing a Californian designer might seem natural for Meghan, but the choice also gives a nod to Australia.
The brand, which offers handcrafted luxury jewelry, is owned by Australian-born Eliza O’Connor, and Meghan wore two different pair of Real Fine Studios designs on her first day in Australia. For the Duchess of Sussex’s first event—a trip to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne—she paired the label’s 14k yellow gold Puffy Hearts earrings with a sleeveless dress by Australian designer Karen Gee.
Oliver Hobart, creative director of wholesale jewelers 925E, tells Marie Claire that the “softly sculptural, heart-shaped designs, introduce a gentle sense of character without disrupting the overall restraint of the outfit.”
Although the earrings are simple, the jewelry expert notes that the puffed design is “distinct enough to register.” Hobart continues, “This is key to how the look functions: the jewelry doesn’t compete with the clothing, but instead adds a layer of warmth and approachability, particularly suited to the tone of the visit.”
Later in the day, the Duchess of Sussex changed into a new outfit and another pair of Real Fine Studio earrings while visiting the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum. She paired the label’s lab-created diamond studs with a suede maxi skirt and bomber jacket by Australian label St. Agni along with a sleeveless sweater by Sydney-based P. Johnson.
Hobart says that Meghan's choice of jewelry "subtly honors the host country, using jewelry as a quiet but effective tool of cultural recognition.”
“It’s a gesture she has long employed, such as during her 2018 tour of Australia and New Zealand, where she wore regional labels such as Outland Denim and Karen Gee, allowing local craftsmanship to sit naturally within her own aesthetic rather than feeling imposed,” the jewelry expert says.
Ultimately, Meghan's “carefully considered” pieces send a quiet message, Hobart says, adding her jewelry “reinforces the idea that influence can be exercised through even the smallest elements of a look.”
