Meghan Markle, 40, has been dealt flack for wearing thousands of pounds worth of clothing and jewellery during her and Prince Harry's three-day visit to New York last week. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped out in public for the first time since their daughter Lilibet was born in June to carry out a number of high-profile meetings under the banner of their non-profit organisation Archewell.

       During their time in the Big Apple they visited a school in Harlem, one of the city's more deprived areas and Meghan's ￡7,000 ($10,741) ensemble to meet students prompted scorn from some.

       In an opinion piece for the NZ Herald journalist Daniela Elser raged: "Just let that sink in for a moment.

       "If there was ever a moment that epitomised her shedding of that former life once and for all it was when she stepped out of a black Range Rover in New York on the weekend wearing a $10,741 outfit to meet students from a Harlem public school where 94 per cent of students are reportedly getting free meals.

       "Specifically, the former actor chose a US$5840 (￡4,288.95) cashmere coat and US$1685 (￡1,237.45) pants from Italian label Loro Piana to meet with children from PS 123, a school that serves 12 shelters, including seven for women and children escaping domestic violence.

       "Clearly, she was not worried about jammy fingers or finger paint coming into contact with the eye-wateringly expensive ensemble."

       Meghan and Harry rounded off their trip to New York by taking to the stage at a Global Citizen Live event in Central Park in which they spoke to crowds about the importance of making the covid vaccine readily available to all.

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