When Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, announced her second pregnancy in February 2021, the world eagerly turned its gaze to her evolving style. Known for redefining royal fashion during her first pregnancy with son Archie in 2018-2019, Meghan’s sartorial choices as she awaited daughter Lilibet in 2021 were markedly different, reflecting her new life in California and a shift from royal constraints. Gone were the sky-high stilettos and tailored coats of her royal tours; in their place emerged flowing dresses, soft florals, and a relaxed, Santa Barbara-chic vibe. Yet, some habits—her love for meaningful jewelry, rewearing cherished pieces, and avoiding traditional maternity wear—proved impossible to shake. With 54 million eyes on her viral “Baby Mama Dance” video and a global audience dissecting her every look, Meghan’s second pregnancy style became a masterclass in authenticity, sustainability, and personal evolution. Here’s how she rewrote the maternity fashion playbook, while clinging to familiar quirks.

A Royal Rewind: Meghan’s First Pregnancy Style

Meghan’s first pregnancy, announced in October 2018, was a whirlwind of royal duties, including a 16-day tour across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga, and a visit to Morocco in February 2019. Her wardrobe, costing an estimated £500,000, was a blend of high-end designers like Givenchy, Dior, and Oscar de la Renta, paired with affordable brands like H&M and ASOS. She stunned in a black velvet Givenchy gown at The Fashion Awards, a burgundy Hugo Boss dress in New Zealand, and a $56 ASOS Wiggle dress at a war memorial. Her style was polished, structured, and vibrant, with bold colors—navy, burgundy, emerald—and tailored silhouettes that accentuated her bump.

One constant was her penchant for sky-high heels. Meghan, then 37, wore Manolo Blahnik BB Pumps, Stuart Weitzman stilettos, and Aquazzura Deneuve pumps, even at eight months pregnant. On her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder in 2025, she recalled clinging to Prince Harry to avoid “faceplanting” in five-inch heels while carrying an extra 65 pounds. “I always wear my pointy-toed stilettos,” she laughed, admitting a friend was shocked to see her “enormous bump” balanced on “tiny little ankles.” This dedication to heels, despite the physical toll, became a hallmark of her first pregnancy, signaling resilience and glamour.

Meghan also shunned traditional maternity wear, opting for roomy dresses or custom designs that aligned with her pre-pregnancy aesthetic. She rewore pieces strategically, like a Brandon Maxwell olive dress or an Amanda Wakeley coat, blending sustainability with sophistication. Her jewelry—often Diana’s heirlooms or meaningful pieces like a Cartier Love bracelet—added layers of sentiment. These habits, rooted in authenticity and purpose, set the stage for her second pregnancy, even as her style took a dramatic turn.

A California Transformation: Second Pregnancy Style

Meghan’s second pregnancy, culminating in Lilibet’s birth in June 2021, unfolded in a starkly different context. Having stepped back as senior royals in 2020, Meghan and Harry settled in Montecito, California, embracing a quieter life amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift—from royal tours to virtual appearances—shaped a wardrobe that was softer, more relaxed, and deeply tied to their new surroundings. British Vogue noted that Meghan’s second pregnancy style leaned into “softer shades, sweet florals, and fluid silhouettes,” a departure from the vibrant block colors and structured looks of her first.

Her first major appearance, a black-and-white portrait by Misan Harriman announcing the pregnancy, set the tone. Meghan wore a custom Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera dress, originally made for her pregnancy with Archie, its flowing white fabric swathing her bump as she lay barefoot with Harry on their lawn. The choice was a nod to sustainability—she rewore a two-year-old dress, proving timeless pieces could shine anew. Wes Gordon told The Telegraph, “That’s why what Meghan did is such a powerful message. She wore a dress that’s no less beautiful because it’s two years old.” This moment encapsulated her new ethos: elegance with intention.

Subsequent looks reinforced this shift. For a Spotify Stream On event, Meghan donned a $3,490 lemon-print Oscar de la Renta maxi dress, its citrus hues evoking California’s sunny groves. At Vax Live, she wore a $169 poppy-red Carolina Herrera shirt dress, its tie-waist left loose for comfort, paired with a 14k gold “Woman Power” necklace from Awe, symbolizing strength. Her Oprah interview featured a $4,700 Giorgio Armani gown with white lotus flowers, representing rebirth, a subtle nod to her journey post-royalty. These choices—floral prints, loose silhouettes, and earthy tones—reflected a “Santa Barbara-chic vibe,” as fashion expert Caitlin Yacopetti told PureWow, contrasting sharply with the tailored suits and vivid hues of her royal days.

Old Habits Die Hard

Despite the transformation, Meghan’s core style habits persisted. Her aversion to traditional maternity wear remained steadfast. Just as she avoided made-for-maternity brands with Archie, she chose flowing, non-maternity pieces for Lilibet—dresses from La Ligne, Armani, and Carolina Herrera that could be worn post-pregnancy. This approach, Vogue noted, allowed her to stay true to her pre-pregnancy aesthetic while accommodating her bump, ensuring versatility and sustainability.

Rewearing outfits was another enduring trait. Beyond the Carolina Herrera dress, Meghan repurposed a La Ligne Pyper dress for a family portrait, its palm print a nod to California’s laid-back charm. Her knack for repeating pieces, seen in her first pregnancy with brands like H&M and J.Crew, underscored a commitment to conscious consumption, even as a duchess.

Jewelry remained a storytelling tool. For the Oprah interview, she wore Diana’s Cartier tennis bracelet, a Birks Bee topaz earring, and a Pippa Small aquamarine necklace, each piece laden with meaning. At Vax Live, her Awe necklace and Jennifer Meyer bezel bracelet added feminist and personal touches. This habit of layering symbolic accessories, evident in her first pregnancy with Diana’s butterfly earrings or a Royal British Legion poppy pin, carried forward, grounding her looks in purpose.

Most strikingly, Meghan’s love for heels lingered, though tempered. While her second pregnancy saw more flats and sandals, reflecting California’s casual ethos, she admitted on her podcast to a lingering attachment to stilettos. “I gained 65 pounds with both pregnancies,” she said, yet her “pointy-toed stilettos” were a constant, a habit she couldn’t fully abandon despite the shift to looser, more comfortable silhouettes. This blend of old and new—heels with flowing dresses—became a signature of her second pregnancy style.

Public Reaction and Cultural Impact

Meghan’s second pregnancy style sparked widespread discussion, amplified by her 2025 release of the “Baby Mama Dance” video, which garnered 54 million views. The clip, showing her twerking in a hospital room to induce labor, was both celebrated for its authenticity and criticized as “undignified.” Her fashion choices, too, divided opinion. Fans on X praised her floral dresses and sustainable rewearing, with one user calling her “a style icon who proves less is more.” Critics, like Daily Mail’s Richard Eden, argued her casual looks lacked royal polish, accusing her of prioritizing brand-building over decorum.

The debate reflected broader tensions around Meghan’s post-royal identity. Her California wardrobe—less Givenchy, more La Ligne—aligned with her As Ever brand, launched in 2025 with rosé and jams, signaling a lifestyle rooted in joy and accessibility. Yet, her high-end choices, like the $4,700 Armani gown, drew scrutiny for their cost, echoing the £500,000 backlash from her first pregnancy. The Guardian noted that her style “walks a tightrope between relatability and luxury,” a balance that fueled both adoration and critique.

Her influence was undeniable. Searches for Oscar de la Renta surged after her Spotify appearance, and La Ligne’s Pyper dress sold out within hours. The “Meghan Effect,” seen in her first pregnancy with brands like Reiss and Aquazzura, persisted, proving her power to shape trends. Her sustainable choices also resonated, inspiring brands like Awe and Carolina Herrera to highlight eco-conscious designs.

A Style Evolution Rooted in Authenticity

Meghan’s second pregnancy style was a bold departure from her first, swapping royal glamour for California ease. Her floral dresses, loose silhouettes, and earthy tones reflected a new chapter, free from palace protocols. Yet, her habits—eschewing maternity wear, rewearing pieces, layering meaningful jewelry, and clinging to heels—remained, tying her past to her present. As ELLE observed, “From sleek bump dressing to relaxed dresses for California living, Meghan carries her timeless grace into pregnancy.”

This evolution wasn’t just sartorial; it was personal. Her choices, from a recycled Carolina Herrera gown to a feminist Awe necklace, told a story of resilience, love, and reinvention. As she and Harry build their Montecito life, with As Ever and new projects like a potential fashion venture, Meghan’s style remains a beacon of authenticity. Whether in stilettos or sandals, she proves that true elegance lies in staying true to oneself—bump and all.