The Duchess of Sussex made her debut at Paris Fashion Week, following in the shadow of other royals before her, with former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond highlighting how Meghan’s trip marks the beginning of her foray into the fashion world
Meghan Markle made her debut at Paris Fashion Week at the Balenciaga show for their Spring/Summer 2026 womenswear design showcase, which she attended to support her fashion designer friend Pierpaolo Piccioli.
The Duchess of Sussex ’s appearance turned heads for several reasons, from her divisive outfit to her seemingly awkward encounter with former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Now, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has shed light on Meghan’s first trip to Europe in two years, noting some major likenesses from Meghan’s trip, to other royals’ appearances at glitzy fashion events. Meghan has long shared her love of fashion, becoming a style icon for many fans online, and Jennie believes that her invitation to the high-profile runway show could signify her foray into the fashion world.
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She told the Mirror : “Well, it’s a long way to go for the chance to dress up, but she obviously thought it was worth the effort. You can see from the interest in her at the show, including a greeting from Anna Wintour, that the fashion world values Meghan.
“And she is likely to become more and more interested in the fashion world, with all the collaborations and commercial opportunities it can offer. And that’s fine. She’s a pretty woman and is now free to do as she pleases.”
Jennie pointed out how both the late Queen and the late Princess Diana also attended past fashion week events, but under very different circumstances than Meghan’s surprise trip to the French capital.
The royal expert said: “As a working royal she could obviously have openly supported British fashion, but without any fringe benefits like complete freebies or paid endorsements. The late Queen made a front row appearance at London Fashion Week in 2018 and seemed to enjoy it very much, sitting next to Anna Wintour.
“Diana, with her statuesque figure and global adoration, was an even bigger draw. But, even after she separated from Charles, she wasn’t a regular at fashion shows. When she did go, as in London in 1995, it was obvious that the massive media interest in her (far greater than the interest in Meghan) was intrusive and embarrassing.”
While in Paris, Meghan drew a lot of criticism for posting a video of her being driven through the city, which many royal fans pointed out was close to the site where Princess Diana died in 1997.
Meghan posted the video after attending a Balenciaga fashion show, in which she had her feet up on the car seat and then showed off the nearby sights, which included the Pont Alexandre III and the Pont des Invalides bridges, which are on the iconic River Seine.
From the clip, it seems she was heading towards the Pont d’Alma bridge, which is next to the Pont d’Alma tunnel where Princess Diana, Dodi Fayed and their driver Henri Paul died in a car crash in August 1997.
According to Jennie, while Meghan’s video may not have been intentional, it still struck the wrong cord with many royal fans and she should issue an apology.
“I think Meghan’s Instagram post of being driven at night so close to the tunnel where Diana died was highly insensitive — but unintentionally so,” she said. “She should have thought about it harder but, like so many people these days, it’s all about sharing your life instantly without considering the implications.
“I’m sure it’s the last thing Meghan meant to do, why would she want to upset her husband? But perhaps she should have posted a follow- up explaining her mistake, and apologising.”
