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Meghan Markle, after being accused of stealing a luxury dress during a Variety shoot, responded and clarified that she did not keep the garment without permission as speculated on social media, for which she has been the target of mockery and criticism.
Markle decided to put an end to all the rumors that have branded her a thief since 2022, when it was first reported that she had taken home an emerald green Galvan dress, valued at nearly $1,800, without authorization and in secret from a photo shoot she conducted.
The Duchess of Sussex, tired of viral theories and mockery, stated in a press release that she never kept the designer dress without authorization, despite what has been circulating for weeks since she wore it to promote her Christmas special, With Love, Meghan.
It all started when online users claimed that Markle had not returned a green Galvan dress used in a 2022 photo shoot. The rumors grew again when the former royal wore the same model in a promotional video for her Netflix special.
Faced with the media controversy that broke out, Liam Maguire, spokesperson and director of communications for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's office in the UK and Europe, came out to debunk the accusations: "The insinuation that the Duchess of Sussex took any item from the photo shoot without the full knowledge and agreement of the stylists on set or their teams is categorically false," he declared.
According to Maguire, all items that Meghan keeps are under transparent agreements approved by the styling teams, as is customary in high-profile photo shoots. He even asserted that Markle has never stolen, borrowed without permission, or worn items obtained improperly or without notice.
"All retained items were handled transparently and in strict compliance with contractual agreements," he added.
"All retained items were handled transparently and in strict compliance with contractual agreements," he added.
He also pointed out that Meghan has never "engaged in a pattern of dishonest behavior" and that she has not possessed stolen goods or items obtained improperly.
Sources consulted by the American media outlet RadarOnline explained that, far from being unusual, it is common practice for celebrities and public figures to keep certain garments to avoid unauthorized resales or fraudulent auctions in the future.
An informant described this practice as "totally prudent," given that items worn by members of the royal family often reach exorbitant figures when they hit the informal market.
The scandal against Meghan resurfaced strongly after a podcast recovered statements from journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis, who claimed that Meghan had taken several garments without permission in previous sessions, even citing passages from Tom Bower's book, Revenge.
One of the most frequently mentioned cases was a session in Toronto, before Meghan married Harry, in which she allegedly left with a pair of Aquazzura heels without returning them.
"To the surprise of the wardrobe staff, she forgot to leave behind the Aquazzura shoes," recalled Grigoriadis regarding how Meghan allegedly went home with the expensive heels.
Although those claims are old and quite controversial, the theories were reborn with the green dress used in the promo and on other occasions when she was seen wearing said luxury shoes in various public appearances, including official engagements when she was still part of the British royal family.
Amid the allegations, the wife of Prince Harry has remained firm: she denies all accusations and asserts that everything related to wardrobe is handled under strict rules, clear contracts, and transparency, with no room for dishonest behavior.
[Publicidad]