It wasn’t just the Duchess of Sussex’s surprise appearance at Monday night’s British Fashion Awards that caused quite the stir — it was what she was wearing that seemed to be the talk of the town.
To present Clare Waight Keller with the British Womenswear Designer of the Year award, Meghan opted for a black one-shoulder form-fitting gown by Givenchy. She complemented the look with gold statement-making jewelry — and (gasp!) some dark polish we’re not sure the queen would approve of.
According to royal etiquette, female members of the royal family *almost always* opt for a light, neutral nail color. It’s a precedent set by the 92-year-old monarch and followed by the Duchess of Cambridge, and a protocol that Meghan’s seemed to follow, up until now, that is.
Queen Elizabeth is known to only wear Essie’s Ballet Slippers — reportedly, a bottle of the iconic polish is sold every two seconds — while Duchess Kate is fond of Allure.
Reports detail the queen has been vocal about her distaste for colorful shades, which she’s deemed “vulgar” and distracting. Royal fans know about this protocol, which is why Meghan’s nails at the star-studded awards show on Monday caused quite the shakeup on the internet.
Some tweeters noted us that Princess Diana frequently opted for colored nails, while hundreds of others commended the royal for her “rebellious” move.
“Black dress check, one shouldered check, sleek fashion check, dressing like a young person check, skin check. Dark nail polish double check and most of all articulate speech with no notes,” one tweeter wrote. “Look at Meghan being a rebel wearing black nail polish. You go girl! said another.”