Meghan Markle’s go-to footwear brand Aquazzura feature snaps of the Duchess wearing its heels for her engagement photoshoot and wedding reception in new advert

Aquazzura has included photos of the Duchess of Sussex in its new ad campaign, including shots of Meghan Markle wearing her designs during her engagement photoshoot and wedding reception.

The Italian fashion company is slowly becoming a household name in luxury footwear, thanks in large part to Meghan.

The mother of two apparently initiated the fashion trend among the British royal family, after which Kate adopted it. Beatrice and Eugenie followed. Zara was next.

But it was Meghan who chose the shoe brand to appear in its latest advert, which was shared on Instagram yesterday.

Aquazzura featured photos from the Duke, 39, and Duchess of Sussex’s engagement photoshoot and later their wedding reception, with Meghan donning the brand’s designs in each.

Meghan wasn’t the only A-Lister Aquazurra wanted to feature in its new ad, with the likes of Taylor Swift, Queen Letizia of Spain and Beyoncé.

The 20-second clip also shared images of Aquazurra stiletto heels across various glossy magazine pages, with the pineapple trademark taking center stage in many shots.

Among the photos are Meghan and Harry on the day they announced their engagement in 2017.

Meghan, then 36, stepped out in her favorite pair of nude heels as she joined Harry, then 33, for the engagement announcement photocall on the grounds of Kensington Palace.

The Suit actress wore a pair of Aquazurra ‘Matilde’ heels worth £550, shoes she had previously worn on several occasions.

The pumps were clearly different from the more traditional shoe choices made by royal women until now.

These were undoubtedly influenced by the late Queen Elizabeth, who had conservative views on shoes – and strong views on certain styles. It is said that her distaste for wedges meant that Kate only wore them at events where the Queen was not present.

So Meghan’s engagement shoes, with their 4-inch heel and crisscross details, were quite unusual.

The ad campaign features the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their engagement shoot and wedding reception, where Meghan wore Aquazzura designs

Paired with a high-neck Stella McCartney dress made from silk crepe, Meghan wore a pair of silky satin Aquazurra shoes with soles painted in baby blue on the day of her wedding reception

Meghan joined several celebrities in the campaign, including Beyoncé (left) and Taylor Swift (right)

The glossy campaign showcased a number of luxurious designs against a beautiful backdrop

A year later, in May 2018, Meghan opted for another pair of Aquazurra heels on the day of her wedding reception.

Paired with a high-neck Stella McCartney dress made of silk crepe, the bride opted for a pair of silky satin Aquazurra shoes with soles painted in baby blue.

Meghan also got her mother, Doria, 67, involved; she wore a custom-made pair to the royal wedding.

Other A-list fans include models Poppy Delevingne and Gigi Hadid, actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Salma Hayek and Nicole Kidman, plus singers Rihanna and Beyonce.

Queen Letizia of Spain and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands have also joined the Aquazzura gang.

And they’re not the only international royals who love the brand’s timeless and modern fusion: Greece’s achingly cool Princess Olympia was announced as their ambassador in 2022.

Meghan attended the opening of the Oceania exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in Aquazzura’s Bow Tie Pumps 105

Kate left a National Portrait Gallery reopening ceremony last year in Aquazzura Bow Tie heels

Most Aquazzura heels are 3½ to 4.5½ inches – the optimal height for improving posture, studies have found. They are made of soft leather and are also comfortable, which is one of the reasons why the brand became so popular.

Many Aquazzura shoes are named after stars. There’s the £885 Debbie boot, after singer Debbie Harry; the £470 Forever Marilyn slingback; and the £670 Sharon stiletto, a nod to film star Sharon Stone.

Aquazzura means ‘blue water’ in Italian and each sole features the company’s gold pineapple logo.

“When I started the brand, it was all about Italy and the Riviera,” founder Edgardo Osorio previously told MailOnline. ‘There you see stone pineapples near villas. The pineapple is a symbol of hospitality.

‘Then I discovered that in Asian cultures the golden pineapple is a symbol of good luck.’

Princess Beatrice in her Aquazzura Forever 105 black suede pumps for the Easter service at St George’s Chapel Windsor last year

Zara Tindall at a VIP reception wearing Forever Marilyn black suede pumps from Aquazzura in November 2023

Last year, Queen Máxima wore a wool cape from the Belgian couture label Maison Natan over trousers and top from the same designer. She added a pop of color with the Lady Dior pouch in a cherry red shade. The look was finished with black suede pumps from Aquazzura

Edgardo is more of a child prodigy. Born in Colombia and raised in Miami and London, he studied at the London College of Fashion and became Roberto Cavalli’s head of shoe design at the age of 23.

Two years later he founded Aquazzura – headquartered in Florence – and the brand is known for its bold patterns, metallics and exotic skins.

Sold in luxury department stores, prices range from £370 to £1,500. Edgardo said, “Every time you put on a pair of my shoes, you should feel like a million bucks.”

If he had not been a shoe designer, he says, he would have become a plastic surgeon – such is his desire to emphasize feminine beauty.

Edgardo lives in a 15th-century palazzo with partner Ricardo D’Almeida Figueiredo, a former Louis Vuitton and Gucci publicist.

Social media users took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on Meghan’s feature in Aquazurra’s latest ad

Royal fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on the new ad, and many were happy with Meghan’s post.

One said: ‘I’m spying with my little eye on a certain American princess in the latest Aquazurra advert.’ A second added: ‘I just saw this advert and got really excited.’

‘The ad ends with two photos of Meghan. I know Aquazzura loves her because of the attention she gave them,” said a third.

Another wrote: ‘She always looks so graceful and elegant in their shoes. When I see Aquazzura pumps I always think of Meghan.”