- The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance at the 2018 British Fashion Awards.
- She presented the British Womenswear Designer of the Year award to Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy.
- Waight Keller was the designer behind Meghan Markle’s wedding dress.
- Markle wore a glamorous one-shoulder black velvet dress to the event.
- She also wore dark nail polish, which some people have called a breach of royal protocol.
The Duchess of Sussex shocked London’s fashion elite by making a surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards on Monday.
Meghan Markle presented the prestigious British Womenswear Designer of the Year award to her wedding dress desginer, Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy, at the glamorous event held at the Royal Albert Hall in London, not far from Kensington Palace.
In a one-shoulder black velvet dress (believed to be Givenchy), the Duchess cradled her growing baby bump while on stage. Her first child with Prince Harry is due in the spring.
She wore her hair swept up into a sleek bun and accessorised with chunky gold bangles, simple gold earrings, and, controversially, dark nail polish.
Her nail colour has set tongues wagging, because it's an apparent flouting of royal protocol - the queen reportedly thinks wearing anything other than neutral colours on one's nails is "vulgar." Her majesty apparently favours Essie's "Ballet Slippers," which is a pale shade of pink.
However, royal commentator Victoria Arbiter took to Twitter to say that nail polish "falls under neither tradition or protocol."
Said nail polish falls under neither tradition or protocol. Don't make me wake up in the morning and have to go there!!! 😉#FashionAwards
— Victoria Arbiter (@victoriaarbiter) December 11, 2018
Whether a break of protocol or not, Markle stunned the audience attending the Fashion Awards.
Before presenting the award, the mother-to-be said: "It's such a pleasure to be here, celebrating British fashion and British designers, in my new home in the UK."
She added: "We have a deep connection to what we wear. Sometimes it's deeply personal, sometimes it's emotional."
Upon receiving her award from Markle, Waight Keller, 48, said: "This woman is so amazing. I got to know Meghan on such a personal level.
"To have someone like that trust you on such a personal moment in their life... I can't thank you enough because it was the most beautiful moment."
