Meghan Markle denies "stealing" designer dress from photoshoot

A rep for Meghan Markle has denied "completely false" social media claims that she "stole" the gorgeous emerald green dress she is seen wearing in her upcoming holiday cooking special. 

'With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration' will be released on Netflix in December.

Ahead of the premiere, the streaming platform shared a trailer that gives viewers a glimpse of what to expect. 

In one scene, the Duchess of Sussex is seen wearing a $1,695 Galvan 'Ushuaia' gown while setting a table. 

She is also pictured wearing the dress in a poster for the special. Several reports claimed that Markle had been "caught on camera" wearing a stolen item. 

READ: Meghan Markle covers Harper's Bazaar: 'I, too, get to make mistakes'

The duchess allegedly snatched the dress after a 2022 photoshoot for Variety. A source told Page Six that the 44-year-old royal “took the dress from the shoot without asking". 

The rumours first spread in 2024 when Journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis claimed in a podcast interview that Markle helped herself to “a lot of stuff” after the shoot.

“What’s shocking about hearing these kinds of alleged stories is that somebody who is living in a $15 million plus mansion in Montecito, who’s just had $100 million deals, would care enough to take home some jewellery and clothes from a photoshoot that she can clearly afford,” she told Andrew Gold on 'Heretics'. 

When Markle's haters realised she was wearing a dress from a previous shoot in the trailer, they figured that 1 + 1 = 2. 

"Meghan did stole (sic) that dress and whatever other clothes [she] thought she was entitled to wear. She's an arrogant piece of work. Duchess Cruella is mentally in so many ways," one person wrote onX. 

Another X user said: "Wearing a dress for a photo shoot that she was accused of stealing shows her level of stupidity."

Markle's team has slammed the defamatory claims. 

"The insinuation that any items were taken without the full knowledge and agreement of the on-set stylists or their respective teams is not only categorically false, but also highly defamatory,” a spokesperson said, per a statement. 

“Any items kept were done so in total transparency and in accordance with contractual arrangements."

According to Sky News, it is not uncommon for royal family members to keep garments after a photoshoot.

"It's standard for talent to retain select items from photo shoots - sometimes for security reasons, including to prevent potential resale or unauthorised auction," a source said. 

"Clothing worn by members of the royal family and other public figures has been targeted for resale in the past, making the practice both common and precautionary."

'With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration' premieres on Netflix on December 3. Guests include Prince Harry, tennis star Naomi Osaka, and popular chef Tom Colicchio.

Watch the trailer below.

READ: Meghan Markle set for big screen return: reports

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