Queen Camilla caused a stir when she appeared at Royal Ascot wearing a Dior dress, leading to speculation that Meghan Markle’s reported collaboration with the fashion brand had fallen through.

The Queen Consort chose a soft cream coat and dress from the French designer, which she accessorized with a broad-brimmed hat and a brooch that once belonged to her late mother-in-law.

The choice of fashion house came as a surprise after rumors circulated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were to become ambassadors for the brand in a deal worth £15 million.

However, sources close to both the couple and Dior have denied any such plans.

A source told the Telegraph that “The Duchess of Sussex is not in talks to sign a deal with Dior” and that “there is no truth to the claims that she will partner with the French fashion house.”

A Dior insider added that the team was “nonplussed as to how the story came about,” following the rumors.

This comes after a clip resurfaced of Meghan working a photoshoot for a perfume ad in a low-budget crime drama.

According to a biography of the Queen Consort by Angela Levin, the Duchess of Sussex was “unresponsive” to Camilla’s advice when she first joined the Royal Family.

Levin claims that Camilla organized lunches with Meghan and did her best to welcome her into the family, but her guidance fell flat with an “unresponsive” Meghan.

Camilla was keen to help Meghan at the beginning of her relationship with Harry, having herself struggled to be accepted by the Royal Family.

She warmly welcomed Meghan when she first arrived in London.

King Charles, who was then Prince of Wales, enjoyed Meghan’s company and often spoke to her about theater and the arts.

In an effort to help Meghan “find her feet,” the Queen Consort advised her on how to handle the pressure of being in the public eye and the scrutiny she would face as a senior member of the Royal Family.

Buckingham Palace sources have revealed mounting frustration and exhaustion at the barrage of complaints that Harry and Meghan make publicly about their treatment by the rest of the Royal Family.

Rumors of a collaboration with Dior may not be happening, but the couple has often shown their love for the brand in the past.

Harry has been spotted wearing Dior shirts to the High Court in London and to the UN last year, while Meghan wore Dior to the National Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, in June 2022.

She also wore Dior to the Queen’s funeral, Archie’s christening, and other major events and royal tours.

Meghan suffered a setback when it was announced that Spotify would not be renewing her podcast Archetypes for a second season following a “mutual” decision.

This move could cost the Sussexes $10 million.

However, rumors suggest that Meghan is planning to bring back her wellness and lifestyle blog, The Tig, to rival Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website, which is worth an estimated £200 million.

Public records in the US show that the couple bought their 16-bathroom Montecito mansion in 2020 for $14.65 million (£11.4 million) and have a $9.5 million (£7.4 million) mortgage on it, with annual property taxes of $141,403 (£113,000).

Their security costs are estimated to be around £2 million a year, on top of the costs of staff, such as nannies, household help, gardeners, and travel costs like private jets.

Regardless, the Duchess of Sussex remains a highly influential and sought-after figure, with offers pouring in from other podcast platforms despite the end of her deal with Spotify.

Meanwhile, Netflix is said to be conducting an ongoing review of its £80 million deal with the Sussexes.