The 1 Reason You’ll See Meghan Markle Wearing Red Lipstick, but Not Kate

When Meghan Markle [1] stepped out wearing red lipstick, we audibly gasped. The duchess has come to our attention for many wonderful reasons due to the organisations she works with [2], but for us beauty enthusiasts, one of the things we love about her most is that she's become a royal beauty "rule breaker." [3]

Although both Meghan and Kate Middleton have essentially the same job, they have very different roles to play. If Prince William becomes king and Kate is given the title of queen [4], she has big shoes to fill, which inevitably comes with beauty rules. Whereas, it's highly unlikely that Prince Harry will ever become king [5] due to all those in line for the thrown before him, so Meghan will never have that same responsibility. Therefore, Meghan doesn't have to adhere to such strict rules, including beauty.

Additionally, Meghan's life was well-established before joining the royal family, she'd had years to experiment with hair and makeup in the spotlight due to her acting roles such as Suits [6]. After joining the royal family, she'd already found her go-to hairstyles, like her buns and loose waves [7], as well as her signature makeup look of glowing skin and freckles [8] on show, thanks to working with makeup artist Daniel Martin [9].

However, on special occasions Meghan will break out of her typical look to try something a little more daring. Enter: red lipstick. The Duchess of Sussex wore a berry lip for her evening out with Prince Harry to Cirque du Soleil [10] proving that duchess can look both royally polished and trendy. Often the royals will experiment a little more during evening occasions, as opposed to formal royal engagements, where they stick to very neutral makeup.

Aside from the royal guidelines, Kate also prefers to emphasise her eye makeup [11]. She sticks to what works for her; a smoky eye and a bouncy blowout or an updo [12] for royal engagements. They both have a signature style that works for them that leaves them feeling comfortable and confident, while still adhering to "royal protocol."