Meghan Markle has overtaken Kate Middleton as the nation's fashion icon

The fashion jury has long been out on whether Kate or Meghan is the most influential when it comes to the nation’s spending habits.

Determined to give us an answer once and for all, global fashion search platform Lyst pitted the Kensington Palace wardrobes against each other and it turns out, the ‘Meghan Effect’ has taken the reigns.

Since joining the royal family, the newly-crowned Duchess of Sussex has sent fashion followers on the hunt for each and every one of her outfits - with a large number of items garnering sell-out status.

In fact, her debut public appearance alongside the Duchess of Cambridge was when interest in her style really gained momentum.

Lyst reports that the camel Sentaler coat she wore to her first royal Christmas Day church service sparked a 164% increase in online search for outerwear in the same hue.

While her matching Stuart Weitzman boots also impressed the nation with a 52% increase in demand.

Though it’s not just the brands Meghan flies the flag for which have received a new following, as her penchant for certain colours has also inspired our closets.

According to Lyst, in seven out of ten cases white, beige and navy were the most searched-for colours.

READ MORE: The Duchess of Sussex’s best fashion moments of 2019

In fact, research shows that for every garment the 37-year-old wears, search for similar looks more than doubles - shooting up by an average of 216%. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cambridge is responsible for a 119% spike in manic googling.

But what has been Meghan’s most influential fashion moment so far?

According to Lyst, the new mother’s gold brocade dress, which she wore to the 50th anniversary of Prince Charles’ Investiture at Buckingham Palace, triggered a 500% rise in online demand within the space of just 24 hours.

Top tip, if you’re interested in shopping her Amanda Wakeley coat then it’s still (surprisingly) available on the website for £1,020.

Interestingly, the Duchess of Cambridge’s most talked about sartorial moment also took place in March when she stepped out on Commonwealth Day in a Catherine Walker coat - which sparked a 225% increase in search.

READ MORE: Shop the Duchess of Cambridge’s latest royal look

But for us, it’s impossible to rank the regal fashion muses, as they should both be held responsible for our spending habits.

Anyway, while we wait of their next appearance, we’ll be busy shopping the Duchess of Cambridge’s latest look.

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