Princess Kate’s Next Fashion Outing Has an Unexpected Meghan Markle Connection
While Kate's visit will highlight her commitment to the UK textile sector, it’s the choice of brand that’s capturing everyone’s attention.
Princess Kate has long championed British craftsmanship and the textile industry. To further the cause, she is all set to visit a label that owes its global breakthrough to her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle. In an announcement, Kensington Palace revealed that the Princess of Wales will travel to West Wales on February 3 to visit the sustainable brand Hiut Denim in Cardigan. While her visit will highlight her commitment to the UK textile sector, it’s the choice of brand that’s capturing everyone’s attention.
Long before Kate’s scheduled visit, the Duchess of Sussex catapulted the family-owned label into the international spotlight. During her first official visit to Wales in January 2018, Meghan wore the brand’s high-waisted ‘Dina’ skinny jeans. The impact was instantaneous. Speaking to PEOPLE shortly after the appearance, co-founder David Hieatt marveled at the surge in demand. "In the next four weeks, we are moving into a factory that’s three times the size, and we’ve hired eight new people — the Meghan Markle Effect is real!" he told the outlet.
For the co-founder of Hiut Denim, Meghan’s choice of wearing their jeans was about shared values. "Meghan is picking companies with a purpose or a mission — or dare I say it, a soul," he noted, talking about the Duchess of Sussex’s impact in the fashion industry, also adding, "We have the skills here, and that’s what we are fighting for." While Meghan has since stepped down as a working royal and shifted to the US, she has time and again reflected on using her wardrobe as a communication tool.
During an appearance on The Jamie Kern Lima Show in April 2025, the Duchess explained her real intentions behind her fashion choices and the ‘Meghan Effect.’ "It makes me feel really great when, specifically, it can help uplift brands that have a great ethos and female founders... if you couldn’t hear me, how could I be heard through what I was wearing?" Meghan’s influence on brands ran almost in sync with the ‘Kate Effect’ – a phenomenon in which Kate’s fashion choices dramatically boosted the sales for brands with items she wore, selling out in minutes.
While Meghan put the brand on the map, this isn’t the first time the sisters-in-law have shared appreciation for a specific label. In this, footwear provides the most visible common ground between the two. Both the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex have embraced the French sneaker brand Veja. While Meghan brought the label under the royal spotlight in 2018, Kate has since incorporated the eco-friendly trainers into her casual wear. The Princess of Wales has also been spotted wearing heels from Aquazzura, a label that has long been considered Meghan’s signature brand after she wore them in her engagement announcement with Prince Harry in 2017.
Traditional fashion houses like Alexander McQueen and Erdem have also found a more permanent place in both their wardrobes. Moreover, when it comes to a more reliable source for the feminine, pleated silhouette that both royals prefer for the spring season, then the two prefer Self-Portrait. So, despite being across the Atlantic, they clearly share significant aesthetic common ground.
