Reactions to the outfit worn by Princess Kate to welcome South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during his state visit to Britain have ignited a discussion on social media, with many highlighting a perceived double standard in the treatment of Meghan Markle's fashion choices during her royal career. The princess garnered attention in an all-red dress, coat, and cape ensemble as she joined Prince William in London on November 21 for the commencement of the three-day state visit.

During a ceremonial military event with King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the official delegations from the U.K. and Korea, photographers captured glimpses of Princess Kate's legs as she walked or emerged from cars. The visibility of her legs prompted the Daily Mail to run a front-page photograph with the headline, "How Kate Got Those Stunning Sculpted Legs." An accompanying article by aesthetics expert Alice Hart-Davis titled, "CrossFit, Reformer Pilates...even her kneecaps are lovely! Princess Kate shows a flash of leg as she gets out of her car. But WHAT a leg!" further accentuated the focus on her legs.

The contrasting treatment of Princess Kate's outfit and Meghan Markle's past fashion choices has not gone unnoticed by social media users. Fans of the princess took to social media platforms to express their thoughts, with some posters criticizing the double standards faced by Meghan when she wore dresses with hemlines above the knee. One notable example was the backlash Meghan received for showing some leg at the Hamilton show when she was a working royal. The differing reactions have led to discussions about racial bias and racism within the British royal family.

Meghan's fashion choices have often been closely scrutinized by the media since her marriage to Prince Harry, particularly her preference for mini dresses with hemlines above the knee. Such choices were labeled as "revealing" for a member of the royal family and hailed as her "most daring look yet" by Vogue magazine. In contrast, Princess Kate's outfit drew mostly positive coverage, although some social media users expressed concerns over the overly positive focus on her legs.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams commented on the situation, describing Princess Kate as "absolutely stunning," while criticizing certain aspects of the reporting as "sexism personified." He highlighted the contrasting treatment of Meghan and Kate, acknowledging that Meghan's fashion sense has gained recognition in the fashion world, along with Kate's own stylish choices.

These debates surrounding the treatment of Meghan and Kate in the media are not new. Meghan has previously spoken out about the negative portrayal she experienced in the U.K. press and on social media, emphasizing the unfairness of comparative stories that criticize one royal while praising another. She denounced such narratives during her interview with Oprah Winfrey, suggesting that fans of one royal did not have to be critical of the other.

As discussions continue on social media, Newsweek reached out to Kensington Palace for comment on the matter. James Crawford-Smith, Newsweek's royal reporter based in London, is closely following the developments. Readers interested in royal news and analysis can find his articles on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith.

For any inquiries or questions about the British royal family, readers are encouraged to email royals@newsweek.com. The experienced team of royal correspondents at Newsweek looks forward to hearing from the audience.