Meghan Markle donned an effortlessly chic ensemble costing approximately £125,277 ($157,030) as she attended an ice hockey game in Vancouver last night.
The Duchess of Sussex, 42, opted for a casual yet sleek look in all-black attire, including ‘Serge’ bootcut trousers from French American brand Altuzarra – available for £555 ($695). She matched the elegant bottoms with a simple black jumper for the occasion.
But it was Meghan’s jewellery that stole the show yesterday evening as she watched the Canucks take on the San Jose Sharks at the Rogers Arena, with a combined worth of £65,761 ($82, 429).
The Duchess seems to favour the French brand Cartier, as she sported the £15,500 ($19,428) Juste un Clou necklace in yellow gold and diamonds, the classic ‘Love’ yellow gold bracelet priced at £7,050 ($8,835), and a Gold Tank Française Watch, which starts from £21,400 ($26,821) in yellow gold.
She added a further touch of a glamour and with a Lorraine Schwartz ‘Against Evil Eye’ bracelet, for a cool £15,011.84 ($18,815).
Meghan Markle donned an effortlessly elegant ensemble as she watched the Vancouver Canucks play against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena yesterday evening
Meghan wore her sleek tresses in a side parting, with half of her locks swept across one shoulder.
She then opted for a lowkey make-up look, with a creamy foundation and deep pink lip with thick eyelash extensions.
The Duchess cheered Prince Harry on as he dropped the first puck at the NHL hockey game – just like the Queen did two decades ago – and then the couple danced to Simple Minds as the goals flew in.
The California-based couple watched the Vancouver Canucks beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 from a VIP box at the Rogers Arena, at one point watching the action while cuddling and later jumping in the air to cheer a goal.
When the Canucks won the match, Harry leapt up and Meghan put down her wine glass so they could both dance to celebrate the victory as Simple Minds’ hit Don’t You Forget About Me.
Also with them was Markus Anderson, a friend of Meghan’s from Toronto when they she was filming Suits who helped organise her first date with Harry in London.
Harry’s ceremonial puck drop came 21 years after the late Queen did the same when the same teams played each in 2002. She was on an 11-day tour in Canada in honour of her Golden Jubilee.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are in Canada for work to promote the next Invictus Games, which will be held in Vancouver and Whistler in February 2025.
The Duchess of Sussex sported a range of expensive jewellery, including a Lorraine Schwartz ‘Against Evil Eye’ bracelet (pictured), for a cool £15,011.84 ($18,815)
The mother-of-two proved her love of French brand Cartier, and donned a £15,500 ($19, 428) Juste un Clou necklace in yellow gold and diamonds
Meghan then opted for a lowkey make-up look, with a creamy foundation and deep pink lip with thick eyelash extensions
Their visit came a week after a whistleblower told that the Games is in ‘turmoil’ after two of its most senior executives were ‘dismissed for no apparent reason’ with just over a year to go.
Meghan has long been associated with the Soho House properties due to her long-standing friendship with Markus Anderson, the lifestyle club chain’s Chief Membership Officer.
Mr Anderson was also at the Canucks game last night, at one point standing with the Duchess of Sussex to cheer the team.
It was Anderson who arranged a private room at Soho House in London for the Montecito-based couple’s first date, while Meghan threw a low-key hen night ahead of her 2018 wedding at Soho Farmhouse in Chipping Norton, UK.
Originally, he invited her to join Soho House when she was still a TV soap actress in Toronto, and it was Markus who facilitated all of Harry and Meghan’s early dates in London and Oxfordshire.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared focused as they watched the first period of the game
The mother-of-two was all smiles as she watched the first period of the NHL hockey next to Prince Harry
Up in the VIP box, Meghan and close pal Markus were cheering as Harry looked to the heavens to the left
Markus is very good friends with New York-based fashion designer Misha Nonoo, who is said to have introduced Meghan and Harry to each other.
Both Markus and Misha spent time with the royal newlyweds, staying for extended stretches with them in the UK, before Megxit.
Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, made the ceremonial puck drop at a 2002 match, also between the Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks, during her two-week Golden Jubilee tour of Canada.
It was the first NHL game the Queen had attended since 1951 when, still a princess, she and Prince Philip watched the Montreal Canadiens take on the New York Rangers.
The Sussexes’ sporting outing comes a few days after Meghan’s surprise arrival at the Variety Power Of Women event in Los Angeles to celebrate the accomplishments of women in entertainment.
Harry enjoyed a quick conversation with Quinn Hughes of the Canucks before he launched the first puck
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex get cosy in their box at the Rogers Arena last night next to Markus Anderson
Prince Harry waved to the excited crowds as he made a surprise appearance at the ice hockey game
The former Suits actress said she was ‘thrilled’ to have returned to the entertainment industry with Archewell Productions and is ‘really proud’ of the projects they have has created so far, including docu-series Harry & Meghan and Heart Of Invictus.
She also teased future projects, saying: ‘We have so many exciting things on the slate… I can’t wait until we can announce them, but I’m just really proud of what we’re creating. My husband is loving it too which is really fun.’
Experts told that they believe the flurry of A-list appearances is a PR ‘tactic’ to pitch for lucrative work and create a new buzz around Meghan, and her husband.
The Invictus Games will be held in Vancouver and Whistler in February 2025 and will feature winter sports for the first time.
exclusively revealed last week that CEO Peter Lawless, a lawyer and arguably Canada’s most respected Olympic and Paralympic administrator, left his job abruptly.
Prince Harry shook hands with Quinn Hughes of the Canucks with a broad smile across his face
Prince Harry dropped the puck during a ceremonial face-off with Quinn Hughes #43 of the Vancouver Canucks and Tomas Hertl #48 of the San Jose Sharks prior to their NHL game last night
The Prince looked dapper in a shirt a jumper combination, which he matched with navy trainers
An insider has claimed that Mr Lawless, who was awarded the Diamond Jubilee Medal by Harry’s grandmother the Queen in 2012, was fired and morale amongst staff is now ‘at an all time low’. An Invictus Games spokesman declined to comment on whether he was sacked, instead saying he had been ‘transitioned out’ and was ‘no longer an employee’ but will remain an ambassador.
Also leaving the Vancouver-Whistler team is Bill Cooper, who was in the role of Chief Commercial Officer for ten months until he left in October. He has thanked colleagues for their support after several praised his ‘grace’ and accused Invictus 2025 of making a big mistake by getting rid of him.
One Games volunteer said that staff are ‘concerned that these recent moves will again overshadow this incredible event for our veterans’. They also raised concerns that the Sussexes’ security and other costs may put a strain on Games finances if Invictus 2025 has to pick up the bill.
It came just two months after Harry and Meghan turned on the charm at a reception thrown by the Canadian delegation to promote the 2025 Invictus Games.
The Duchess of Sussex, 42, chatted with members of the committee that will be organising the games to be held in Vancouver – a city they know well having fled there in 2019 after quitting royal life.
Harry walked out onto the ice with a smile across his face and waved to the bustling crowds in the arena
The ice hockey players smiled for the cameras as they prepared for Prince Harry to drop the puck
Meghan has close friends in the city and holds great affection for Canada having lived in Toronto while she was filming the series ‘Suits’.
The couple are very familiar with Vancouver having temporarily moved there in 2019 when they split from the royal family.
They stayed on Vancouver Island at a £14m home in North Saanich, British Columbia, following their decision to step back from being working members of the royal family.
The split was termed ‘Megxit’ and the couple stayed in Canada several months before relocating to Montecito in California. Meghan chatted with many of the competitors who have taken part in the events in Dusseldorf.
And for the first-time adaptive winter sports including alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and curling will be included in the programme of weeklong events and staged in the resort of Whistler.
It is not yet clear if Invictus 2025 is looking for a new CEO and Chief Commercial Officer.