Meghan Markle's sexy red carpet comeback - 'She doesn't care what people think'

Meghan Markle once said she was determined to “blend in” using her muted royal wardrobe, but that idea seemed a distant memory when she turned heads at a red carpet charity event this month. Stepping out in a fiery red and extremely low-cut designer dress - with her tousled hair hanging loose by her shoulders - there was no question of who’d be making the headlines the next day.

Four years after leaving the UK - and abandoning her beige royal wardrobe - a source tells OK! that her striking new look is part of Meghan’s big comeback, and to show she still has what it takes to be a huge Hollywood star. “Before she met Harry she would always wear eye-catching outfits like that on the red carpet and would love the attention they would bring,” they said.

“She has admitted herself that once she became a royal she really had to tone down her wardrobe and make more conservative choices as well as claiming she wasn’t allowed to wear a lot of colour.”

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In Meghan and Prince Harry ’s 2022 special Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, showed she thinks carefully about her look, and revealed she wanted to go out with a bang and dress “like a rainbow” during her last week as a working royal two years earlier.

“To my understanding, you can't ever wear the same colour as Her Majesty if there's a group event," she revealed. “But then you also should never be wearing the same colour as one of the other more senior members of the family. So I was like...well, what's a colour they'll probably never wear? Camel? Beige? White? So I wore a lot of muted tones but it was also so I could just blend in.”

She also said she didn’t want to upstage or “ruffle any feathers” when it came to standing by the likes of Kate Middleton and other senior royals, but given her recycling of her £4,595 Caroline Hererra dress this month, it seems it’s no longer a concern.

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“Since leaving, she has slowly been getting more daring with her choices and this appearance proved that she is finally free of her royal era and doesn’t want to be associated with that part of her life anymore,” our source claimed.

“Both she and Harry are pursuing their own career goals and Meghan has decided that when she’s doing solo events, she's going to be the star of the show. She has lots of exciting projects coming up, including the launch of her new Netflix cooking show, and this is just the start of her fun and sexy new look.”

According to style expert Stefania Bartolomei, founder One of A Style personal styling, Meghan's red carpet look was not only a sign of her incredible personal taste, but also how confident she is in her own skin.

"The daring choice wasn't just a fashion statement, but a reflection of the confidence it takes to wear such a standout piece," she told OK!. "She didn't just stand out, she shined. The dress was also reminiscent of her earlier public appearances, and a definite departure from the neutral and conservative colours she was once known for in the UK."

Another big change in Meghan's appearance was her hair - which spent much of her royal years tied up in a sleek bun - styled into loose, beachy waves. "The relaxed waves suggest a woman who is not only comfortable in her own skin but also ready to embrace a more carefree and personal style," Stefania said. "The combination of the vibrant red and loose hair exudes a sense of freedom, hinting at a Meghan who feels more at ease and confident—perhaps more in tune with her Hollywood roots than the strict wardrobe protocols of her former life.

"Her bold step into the spotlight shows that she's ready to move forward and reclaim her space with a renewed sense of freedom and strength. Meghan seems to be telling the world she’s ready to move forward, confident, glamorous, and more comfortable than ever."

Meghan’s eye-catching outing came on the back of a string of solo appearances by Harry, 40, who came to the UK to attend the WellChild Awards before jetting off to South Africa for engagements relating to his Sentebale charity.

Despite being left alone at home with the kids - Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, - Meghan looked not only incredibly stylish at the LA Children's Hospital gala, she also looked happy and relaxed, which is a far cry from many of the snaps in her royal photo album.

“Her time in the royal family made her sad and anxious and she felt that she lost part of herself during that time and is only just getting it back,” our source said.

“And she doesn’t care what people think, she spent so long worrying about whether she was wearing the right outfit and if it was appropriate and now she just wants to be herself. Meghan has no plans to even go back to being a royal and this dress shows that she’s distancing herself from them and everything she used to be.”