French designer Roland Mouret is preparing to release his memoir, I Am Roland Mouret: The Butcher's Boy Who Dressed the World, which details personal friction with high-profile clients. The book, as reported by The Times, recounts a clothing return mishap involving Meghan Markle and the early career struggles of Victoria Beckham.
The Kensington Palace error that sparked Meghan Markle's vow
A communication blunder involving the return of borrowed clothing caused a significant rift between the Duchess of Sussex and the designer, according to extracts published in The Times. A member of Mouret's staff reportedly contacted the office of the Princess of Wales instead of Meghan Markle's personal team to arrange the return of "freebie" items. Mouret claims this mistake left the Duchess feeling humiliated, leading her to declare she could never wear his designs again.
This tension reportedly occurred after her relationship with Prince Harry became public but prior to the couple's departure from royal duties in 2020. The designer even claims he later texted her to call her "ridiculous" after she was seen wearing what he described as a cheap high street copy of one of his designs.
Victoria Beckham's 2008 fashion launch and the "tears" of early mentorship
The memoir also provides a look at the early years of Victoria Beckham's fashion career, specifically during the launch of her eponymous brand in 2008. While Beckham has spoken warmly of their history in her Netflix series, she noted that the process was often fraught with emotion. mouret admits that he frequently questioned her decisions during those formative years,a dynamic that reportedly caused the fashion icon to cry frequently.
The designer maintains that he never intended to cause her distress ,even as they navigated the pressures of building a global label. The book also recounts a dinner with the couple and David Beckham, where Victoria reportedly joked about whether Mouret fancied her husband, an anecdote that ended in laughter despite the professional intensity of their partnership.
A decade of dressing royalty from 2011 to the 2018 wedding
Roland Mouret's influence on the British Royal Family spans over a decade, having designed dresses for the Princess of Wales since 2011. The designer's work has been a staple at high-profile events, including the Princess of Wales's appearance at this year's Wimbledon women's singles final. This long-standing relationship contrasts with the reported friction with Meghan Markle, who famously wore a £1,450 Mouret dress just one day before her wedding in May 2018.
The missing perspective from the Duchess of Sussex's camp
While Mouret's memoir offers a candid, one-sided account of these celebrity encounters, several details remain unverified. a spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex has declined to comment on the specific allegations regarding the clothing return mishap. Furthermore, the memoir does not provide an exact date for the incident involving Meghan Markle, leaving the precise timing of the fallout somewhat ambiguous. it also remains unclear if the "cheap high street copy" Mouret claims the Duchess later wore was a deliberate provocation or merely a coincidence in her wardrobe choices.
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