Meghan Markle’s night out with Prince Harry quickly stirred debate, with critics claiming her bold chartreuse gown showed she “wanted all the attention on her.”
On April 10, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended a private gathering hosted by Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos that celebrated the upcoming second season of Beef, joining a small circle of industry names including stars Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan and Charles Melton, along with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and girlfriend Katy Perry.
The evening unfolded quietly inside Sarandos’ home, far from cameras and red carpets, yet once photos surfaced, attention shifted almost immediately to Markle’s look.
Markle, 44, wore a chartreuse silk gown by Heidi Merrick, known as the “Gale” dress, paired with strappy Jimmy Choo heels. According to What Meghan Wore, the design retails for $715, and its greenish tone stood out in images from the night.
Prince Harry, 41, chose a navy suit with a white shirt, keeping his look simple as the couple appeared relaxed while arriving together, People reports.
‘Painted herself the visual centrepiece’
Online reaction soon followed, with some social media users suggesting that Markle’s choice of color may have clashed with an alleged dress theme.
Photos from the gathering appeared to show several guests wearing neutral tones, leading to claims that chartreuse had been reserved for a specific attendee.
One Reddit user wrote: “Dress code was black and white. Easy enough for Justin Trudeau, Katy Perry and the rest of them to manage. But no, not our Madame. She looked like a neon sign flashing ‘over here, darlings.’ She decided the rules were for peasants and painted herself the visual centrepiece, standing right next to the actual honoured guest who was meant to wear the colour.”
“MM is wearing the same color as the lead actress, because she wants to steal her thunder, so to speak. As usual, MM wants all the attention on her. She must have asked what kind of dress the star was wearing, and then MM managed to find the ugliest dress in the same color,” a second netizen tweeted.
A third wrote: “Why did Meghan feel the need to dress in the same unusual color as the guest of honor? Never mind, we know why,” a third commented on X.
As photos from the evening circulated, some online users pointed out that Mulligan was also seen wearing chartreuse, which added to speculation that the color had special significance at the event.
However, Page Six reports there was “no dress code related to color,” and the shade itself is currently gaining popularity in fashion, with British Vogue calling it “a trending spring shade.”
‘People are allowed to wear whatever color they want’
Supporters of the duchess questioned how the rumor began and pointed out that assumptions quickly spread online without verification.
One commenter wrote: “Other folks wearing colorful dresses. She’s beautiful so of course she stands out.”
“She looks amazing she is not a square shaped Spongebob salad tossing demon someone described her as. She looks fantastic,” shared a second.
Another added: “Unsurprised that the same dumb people who believed Ted Sarandos wouldn’t speak to Meghan Markle without a lawyer, also believe that she crashed the party and broke some kind of dress code without any evidence of that either.”
As with many public appearances involving the Duchess of Sussex, attention quickly moved beyond the event itself, showing how even small details can spark widespread conversation once images begin circulating online.
What do you think – was Markle’s dress chosen for attention, or is the online community overreacting?
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