The Duchess of Sussex confessed she avoided colourful outfits while in the UK for fear of clashing with the Queen and other more senior female royals.

Meghan said she opted for “muted tones” of beige, white and camel so she could blend in.

The duchess became known for her sleek classic look when she began carrying out royal engagements, but her colour choice was always thought to be down to her preferred style.

“Most of the time that I was in the UK, I rarely wore colour,” she said.

“There was thought in that. To my understanding, you can’t ever wear the same colour as Her Majesty if there’s a group event.

“But then you also shouldn’t be wearing the same colour as one of the other more senior members of family.

“So I was like well, what’s a colour that they’ll probably never wear?

“Camel, beige, white? So I wore a lot of muted tones but it also was so I could just blend in. Like I’m not trying to stand out here.

“There’s no version of me joining this family and trying to not do everything I could to fit in. I don’t want to embarrass the family.”

Meghan, who was wearing a pale grey jumper as she spoke, stepped out in a white off the shoulder dress for an appearance at an awards gala in New York earlier this week.

The Queen Consort and the Princess of Wales, as they are now known, were the other female royals who were more senior than Meghan, as well as the Princess Royal who is more senior by birth.

Questions are likely to be raised as to why Meghan did not ask her aides to check with other members of the royal family or their dressers to see what their fashion plans were, or even contact Camilla and Kate herself.