Fashion tracking website UFO No More has put together the report, which takes into account new and existing items of clothing worn in 2018 by various royals, what was gifted (so it can be excluded) and what was unknown. They then tally it all up, divide and subtract where necessary and viola, we get a final figure!
This year, the report spanned everyone from Princess Mary to the Duchess of Cambridge, analysing a whole host of European royal women and their wardrobe spending habits. But, as was expected, it was one newly-married duchess that took out the top spot.
Coming in at number one, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, spent a huge $723,526 in 2018 — and that isn’t including her custom Givenchy wedding gown. The number includes a number of other custom Givenchy dresses — including the one she wore on her first official engagement with the Queen and is rumoured to cost over $20,000 — as well as that famous Alexander McQueen pantsuit, one of her most expensive outfits at about $4000. Other outfits of note include a Jason Wu wrap dress, which retailed at about $2,500 and the $3000 Carolina Herrera dress she wore to the polo in July.
Coming in second was Princess Mary of Denmark — spades behind Meghan with a total spend of $158,346. In third place was Sophie, Countess of Wessex ($130,895) and in forth and fifth came Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge ($121,579) and Princess Mette-Marit of Norway ($93,063), respectively.
Although Meghan’s spend does seem excessive, she did have to buy an entirely new wardrobe for her new job — and she went on her first ever royal tour, spending up big while shopping for local Australian designers. You don’t become a princess and wear jeans and a T-shirt, ladies. And while her wardrobe costs might be extravagant in 2018, we’re guessing they’ll decline as the years go by, because if we know anything about Meghan it’s that she loves sustainable fashion — and what’s more sustainable than recycling your favourite outfits?
