Meghan Markle 'to be at Royal Ascot TODAY' in a HUGE break-away from Duchess of Cambridge
MEGHAN Markle could be spotted at Royal Ascot only weeks after marrying into the Royal Family according to a Royal expert. While Kate, on the other hand, took five years to attend the event after her wedding to Prince William.
It is believed the Queen has invited Prince William and Kate to Royal Ascot every year since their wedding in 2011, but the Duchess of Cambridge politely declined until 2016, when she attended to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday.
Unlike Kate, the Duchess of Sussex is expected to attend this year’s event with Prince Harry after only marrying into the Royal Family last month.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said: “There is a strong possibility that Harry and Meghan will attend.
“William and Kate's first engagement after their wedding was the Epsom Derby though they did not attend Royal Ascot together until 2016.”
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Prince Harry often attends the opening day of the races, which kicks off today, and has previously travelled in a carriage with his grandparents, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
As Kate is technically on maternity leave after the birth of Prince Louis, it is unclear as to whether or not the Duchess will make this year’s event.
Since giving birth to Louis, Kate has taken time out of the spotlight to look after the young prince.
However, she was in attendance at Royal Wedding and Trooping the Colour.
But with Prince Louis now almost two months old, Kate could well be in attendance, adhering to the strict dress code that comes with Royal Ascot.
Royal Ascot is an event when the Royal Family dress to impress and it is likely all eyes will be on the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Sussex if they do attend.
Since marrying Prince Harry at Windsor Castle in May, the Duchess of Sussex has been spotted in public on numerous occasion, all perfectly presented.
Just days after her wedding she attended Prince Charles’s 70th birthday party wearing nude tights - a reported “must-wear” of Her Majesty.
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But, she recently broke Royal protocol at Trooping the Colour, where she wore a light pink, Carolina Herrera dress with a revealing bardot neckline, a neckline banned in the Royal Enclosure.
Women in the Royal Family are expected to wear dresses and skirts to below the knee or longer, with straps being one inch or greater.
Like many other Royal occasions, only fascinators with a base covering an area of four inches will be deemed acceptable.
Strapless, off-the-shoulder, halter necks, one-shoulder and bardot dresses are also not permitted - with Meghan Markle being a fan of a bardot neckline.
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Kate made her 2016 Royal Ascot debut in a stunning calf-length white lace Dolce & Gabbana dress with a matching white fascinator.
In 2017 she donned a very similar look, in a white knee-length Alexander McQueen dress with sheer sleeves and a high, Victorian-style neck.
She paired this with a matching large fascinator.
It is very likely that Kate will stick to her white, lace theme for Royal Ascot if she attends this year.