EXCLUSIVE: Meghan Markle Denies She Stole $1,700 Designer Dress — Tells Radar Pricey Frock Recycled For Netflix Show Was 'Retained Transparently' and 'In Strict Accordance With Contractual Arrangements'
Meghan Markle's spokesperson has defended the former royal after she was accused of taking a dress without permission.
Dec. 9 2025, Published 11:32 a.m. ET
Meghan Markle has exclusively told RadarOnline.com she did not keep a designer dress without permission after she wore it in a high-profile photoshoot.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, has been at the center of allegations from online sleuths claiming she failed to return an emerald green Galvan Ushaia dress, worth $1,724, after wearing the frock for a 2022 promo.
Markle's Explanation on Dress-Gate
Markle was recently accused of not returning a designer dress.
They re-emerged after she rewore the dress in a promotional video for her Netflix Christmas holiday special.
Markle's official spokesperson, Liam Maguire, director of communications in the U.K. and Europe for the Office of Prince Harry and Markle, has told Radar: "The insinuation that the Duchess of Sussex took any items from a photoshoot without the full knowledge and agreement of the on-set stylists or their teams is categorically false.
"Any items retained were done so transparently and in strict accordance with contractual arrangements."
Maguire also denied Markle "stole clothing or other items from a 2022 Variety photoshoot" or "dishonestly walked off" with items without permission.
He also made clear the former royal never "possessed or wore stolen or improperly obtained goods" or "has engaged in a pattern of dishonest behavior."
What's more, he vehemently denied any claim of "theft and dishonesty."
It is sometimes practice for high-profile figures to retain items from photoshoots, to avoid potential resale or unauthorized auction in the future, Radar has been told.
Markle's spokesperson called the claims 'categorically false.'
A source said it was both "commonplace and prudent" for certain items to be kept to avoid people auctioning items linked to stars — especially members of The Firm, for huge sums of cash in the future.
Even though Markle, 44, and her 41-year-old husband Harry stepped down as senior working royals in 2020, they remain members of the royal family.
Harry is fifth in the line of succession to the throne, and the couple have retained their duke and duchess titles — but are barred from using them for commercial gain.
Markle's denial over 'Frockgate' comes after a tabloid published a story repeating claims Markle had "pilfered" the emerald green dress from a Variety photoshoot.
The piece quoted a podcast episode titled Exclusive: Meghan Markle New Stealing Allegations from March last year.
It alleged the duchess did not return "a lot of stuff" from the photoshoot.
Same Dress, Different Time?
The 44-year-old is said to have 'walked away' with several items from a photo shoot without permission.
Markle wore the emerald-green Galvan 'Ushuaia' one-shouldered gown to promote the With Love, Meghan Holiday Celebration in photos shared by both Netflix and the Duchess of Sussex on November 10.
Several fashion publications quickly confirmed it was the identical frock Markle wore in a 2022 Variety cover article and accompanying photoshoot.
Journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis claimed during a March 2024 appearance on Andrew Gold's Heretics podcast she was told Markle walked off with several items from the shoot without permission. It now appears the dress could be one of them.
Grigoriadis first brought up how Markle allegedly had a history of taking home pricey items from photo shoots, referring to an instance author Tom Bower wrote about in his 2022 book, Revenge.
While living in Toronto and still an actress on Suits, Markle filmed an ad for the Canadian department store Reitman's and was said to have demanded a pair of expensive designer heels for the photoshoot.
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Markle is believed to have a history of taking things from shoots.
"To the surprise of the wardrobe staff, she forgot to leave behind the Aquazzura shoes," he wrote about how the former starlet walked off with the pricey pumps.
Markle later wore the identical Aquazzura "Very Matilde" crisscross suede pumps during the November 2017 photo call to announce her engagement to Harry, and has been photographed in the accessory numerous times since.
"I have since heard, in a more recent photoshoot of Meghan's, there was also a lot of stuff that was not returned after Meghan wore it in a very high-profile photo shoot," Grigoriadis said, strongly hinting it was the Variety shoot since that was Markle's last major one at the time of the podcast appearance.
The journalist noted, "sticky fingers at the end of a photoshoot is not unheard of. It does happen from time to time."
