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Meghan Markle makes her Royal Ascot debut in a chic monochromatic ensemble

While Duchess Kate waited five years to attend her first Royal Ascot, Meghan Markle made her debut exactly one month after her royal wedding to Prince Harry, stepping out in a chic monochromatic ensemble by her go-to designer Givenchy for a day at the races on Tuesday (Juen 19). The newest member of the Royal Family arrived in a carriage with her husband, the Countess of Wessex - who was pretty in pink - and Prince Edward. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex later gave out a trophy.

Meghan was dressed to impress in a monochromatic Givenchy look. Photo: © Getty Images

The newlyweds were in great spirits at the annual event, a centuries-old tradition that sees the British social set out in their finest - and often biggest - toppers! Meghan's hat collection, which is growing by the day, saw a new addition from famed milliner Philip Treacy, a structured, asymmetrical white headpiece with sheer black edges and a flourish of black strips on one side. Prince Harry donned a top hat for the occasion along with a black suit.

The royal also dazzled in Canadian jewellery brand Birks, a go-to for the Duchess. “We are thrilled that The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, chose to wear our Birks Pétale collection to her first Royal Ascot,” Eva Hartling, Vice President, Brand Management & Chief Marketing Officer at Birks Group Inc., told Hello! Canada. “It is truly an honour for the Birks brand to be a part of an event that is so rich in history and important to the Royal family. Her choice of Birks Pétale earrings for the occasion speaks to her modern aesthetic when choosing jewellery.”

Meghan has made it clear that Givenchy's Clare Waight-Keller is the woman she'll be turning to the most for major events - a role Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton plays for her sister-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge. And from her spectacular wedding gown to the stunning off-white caped dress she wore for her first solo engagement with the Queen, the designer has not let her 36-year-old client down!

The Queen was all smiles at the races. Photo: © Getty Images

The Queen was also on hand at one of her favourite events of the year wearing a sunny yellow ensemble and smiling while riding in a carriage with her daughter Princess Anne. The day is a particularly festive one for the family, who welcomed a new member yesterday as Zara Tindall gave birth to her second child with Mike Tindall - a baby girl who weighed in at 9 lbs 3 oz. The precious bundle is the Queen's seventh great-grandchild!