Meghan Markle has always been one to embrace minimalist glam, long before the term “quiet luxury” entered the lexicon as a descriptor for hair or nails. Of course, that’s to be expected: “Stealth wealth” is kind of the royal aesthetic—at least for more causal outings. (The women in the royal family are known to really show up and out for a black-tie event, especially one where tiaras are expected.) Though there’s no official handbook, it’s believed that the late Queen Elizabeth II dictated that the family keep things natural and neutral, even their manicures.
Apparently the queen preferred delicate, neutral nail shades and found anything colorful, even traditionally classic shades like red, to be “vulgar.” Markle followed this rule at her wedding to Prince Harry and has primarily sported light pink, like Essie’s Ballet Slippers, since and as recently as fall 2023.
Markle’s latest manicure, however, deviates from the royal nail look ever so slightly. On January 23 the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance at the premiere of Bob Marley: One Love, in Kingston, Jamaica. Markle sported an elegant low bun and minimalist makeup, both of which follow royal beauty traditions. Her manicure, however, wasn’t pale pink or neutral, or filed into a squoval shape, as is expected. Instead she sported a classic square French manicure that looked like it came straight from the year 2004.
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No, but actually: It is nearly the exact same style Rachel McAdams wore as Regina George in (the original) Mean Girls, which came out in 2004.
