There’s not much that is relatable about Meghan, Duchess of Sussex: from her rise to British royal notoriety to her achingly aspirational lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. But on Saturday, a rare opportunity for connection presented itself when Meghan arrived at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles 2024 Gala in a red Carolina Herrera dress she had previously worn in 2021.

While resurfacing wardrobe relics is a fairly common experience for the everyman or woman, it is a more conscious choice for those in the public eye. Lately, in a push to ignite debate on sustainability in fashion, A-listers such as Cate Blanchett, Gwyneth Paltrow and Billie Eilish have elected to rewear old outfits on red carpets.

The duchess’ look, however, had undergone a few notable tweaks. When she first debuted the dress at a gala celebrating veterans in New York three years ago, it was a formal gown, with the skirt featuring a voluminous built-in train, accessorized with pointed satin pumps and the refined 2.15 carat Birks Snowflake Snowstorm Diamond Earrings she regularly wore while on official royal visits.

Meghan wore a tailored version of her Carolina Herrera dress to the 2024 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).
CraSH/imageSPACE/Sipa USA

Meghan first wore the gown to the Annual Salute To Freedom Gala on November 10, 2021 in New York City.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images

On Saturday, Meghan — who stepped away from her royal duties alongside husband Prince Harry over four years ago — stripped the design back, stepping out in a more tailored version of the dress. Her hair was down and jewelry kept simple: No necklace, no visible earrings — just a few rings and her often-worn Cartier Love bracelet. She finished off the outfit with open-toed sling backs from Giuseppe Zanotti.

After learning to dress within the narrow margins of the royal family rulebook, the duchess has embraced a different sartorial direction — one perhaps more aligned with her life before Prince Harry. Last September, she wore an off-the-shoulder emerald lace Cult Gaia tube dress to the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf in Germany. More recently, during visits to Nigeria and Colombia, Meghan has opted for strappy patterned sundresses with thigh splits.

Her red tailored Carolina Herrera dress and tousled hair epitomizes a more easy going approach to evening wear (when compared to her life as a working royal, of course). And with no official dressing protocols to break, Meghan can let the limelight shine on the charity cause — in particular, the LA Children’s Hospital. “The staff is incredible,” Meghan told People Magazine on the night. “And the amount of work they do for families that really could not afford this level of care is something that I think should never be overlooked,” she said. “I’m grateful for everything they do.”