Fashion designer Roland Mouret claims in his upcoming memoir that Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, boycotted his brand following a logistical error . The dispute reportedly began when his staff mistakenly contacted Kensington Palace to reclaim gifted clothing.
The Kensington Palace protocol error that ended a friendship
Roland Mouret’s upcoming memoir, I Am Roland Mouret: The Butcher's Boy Who Dressed the World, details a significant rift with Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. The disagreement reportedly stemmed from a logistical blunder where Mouret's staff contacted Kensington Palace instead of the Duchess's private team to arrange the return of gifted items. As reported in the memoir, this error caused the Duchess significant embarrassment, leading her to vow never to wear the designer's pieces again.
The timeline of this fashion fallout remains somewhat vague, though Mouret notes it occurred after the relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex became public but before their 2020 departure from royal duties. According to extracts shared in The Times, the designer even claimed that the Duchess later opted for a "cheap high street copy" of one of his designs, a move that prompted him to text her calling the decision "ridiculous." This tension stands in stark contrast to their early connection, which began in a hotel lift in Turkey in 2015 when the pair met while the Duchess was heading to a Soho House spa.
Victoria Beckham’s 2008 brand launch and the tears behind the scenes
The memir also sheds light on Mouret's professional history with Victoria Beckham, specifically regarding her 2008 fashion label launch. While Beckham has spoken warmly of their history in her Netflix series, Mouret admits that the early stages of her brand were fraught with tension. He notes that the designer often questioned Beckham's decisions, which reportedly led to the fashion icon crying frequently during their collaborations.
Mouret maintains that he never intended to cause distress to Beckham, despite the intense working environment. The book also provides a glimpse into the social circles of the fashion elite, recounting a dinner with Victoria and David Beckham . In a lighthearted moment, Mouret recalls a conversation where Victoria joked about his attraction to her husband, a claim he quickly and humorously dismissed by promising that no gay man who fancied him actually fancied David.
Fifteen years of designing for the Princess of Wales
In contrast to the friction with the Duchess of Sussex, Mouret describes a long-standing and stable professional relationship with the Princess of Wales.. Having designed dresses for her since 2011, the designer has observed her public persona for over 15 years. Mouret uses this long-term perspective to comment on the nature of royal life and the burden of fame.
He suggests that the Princess of Wales possesses a unique ability to navigate her high-profile marriage to Prince William while managing the pressures of her role. mouret posits that if the Princess could experience her life without the accompanying fame, she would likely choose that path, reflecting on the complexities of being a central figure in the British monarchy.
The missing details of the 'freebie' garment dispute
Several aspects of the dispute between Roland Mouret and Meghan Markle remain unverified. While the memoir alleges that a staff error regarding "freebie" garments caused the fallout, the exact nature of the items and the specific date of the incident are not disclosed. furthermore, a spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex has declined to comment on these specific allegations, leaving the Duchess's side of the story absent from the narrative.
It remains unclear whether the "high street copy" mentioned by Mouret was a deliberate choice by the Duchess or a coincidence.. Without a response from the Duchess's team, the memoir's account of her "fury" and subsequent boycott remains a one-sided perspective from the designer.
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