Why does Meghan Markle always heels at the polo? Duchess is known for choosing impractical stilettos for sporting events (but it’s all to do with acing her photo ops with Prince Harry)

Meghan Markle stole the show in Miami this weekend when she cheered on her husband Prince Harry as he played in a charity polo match in Florida to benefit Sentebale.

The Duchess of Sussex, 42, looked ethereal as she strolled across the field in a white flowing dress by Californian designer Heidi Merrick, paired with a £2,650 Maison Valentino bag, but her choice of shoes sparked debate among the royal family . fans.

Meghan’s elegant outfit was completed with a pair of ‘Purist 105’ nude nappa leather pumps worth £565 from one of her favorite brands, Aquazzura. However, some pointed out that wearing stilettos on a court may not be the most practical shoe choice.

While some people expressed concern that she would have struggled to walk in the high stilettos, as a photo showed the Duchess being helped up the stairs, others suggested she would have struggled to join in to the rest ritual of treading the turf on the field. caused by the horses’ hooves.

It’s not the only sporting event where Meghan has braved the high heels – as she has been spotted in stilettos on rugby pitches, basketball courts and running tracks – but a famous photographer has previously revealed she has a very good reason for doing so. .

Glenn Gratton previously told FEMAIL that Meghan’s choice of shoes is likely due to the fact that she appears at such sporting events next to Prince Harry, who is considerably taller than his wife.

While Meghan is only 6 feet tall, Harry’s height is a whopping 6 feet 10 inches, meaning there is a noticeable height difference between the pair.

Gratton said: ‘Couples with a large height difference look slightly unbalanced in photos, and often the shorter of the two looks even smaller and is constantly looking at their partner.

The Duchess previously favored stilettos on sports fields (pictured at a polo match in Santa Barbara in 2022)

Meghan also opts for high heels to attend indoor sporting events – pictured in Australia playing wheelchair basketball in 2018

‘Rod Stewart and his wife Penny have a big gap, but it is minimized by the fact that Rod wears Cuban heels and Penny doesn’t wear super high heels.

‘In the case of Harry and Meghan, she will wear high heels to maximize her height and reduce the gap if possible.’

Meghan’s sister-in-law Kate is known to wear trainers or loafers when she goes to sporting events, but the Duchess is taller than the average British woman.

Kate is about 6 feet tall, while William is 6 feet tall, which means she can comfortably wear heels without being taller or wear flats and not feel like there is a gaping discrepancy.

Although Meghan has chosen to wear flats at some sporting events, such as at some events at last year’s Invictus Games in Frankfurt, she prefers high heels.

The Duchess wore very high stiletto heels as she presented medals to the winning US wheelchair basketball team at the Invictus Games in Frankfurt last year

In 2022, while watching Harry play in a polo match in Santa Barbara, Meghan channeled Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman with a gorgeous polka dot blouse and white shorts — and topped off the outfit perfectly with another pair of Aquazzura heels.

In line with Gratton’s analysis, the height difference between Meghan and Harry narrowed significantly when they took his hand and walked across the field together.

The Duchess also opted for stilettos during the Invictus Games in Frankfurt last year, as she increased her height during some events, including wheelchair basketball.

As she presented medals to the winning team, USA, she wore a chic all-black outfit with skinny jeans, a knit cardigan and stiletto pumps.

After once again noticing her choice of heels to look at the polo at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge this weekend, some fans noted the impracticality of Meghan’s chic outfit.

One person wrote: ‘I’ve been to polo matches there, it’s a real problem with heels, especially at half time when spectators are stomping on the divots on the pitch.

“But stylish Meghan does.”

Another expressed concern that Meghan’s heels could be ruined by the stomping.

They wrote: ‘In a polo match during the interval between the chukkas the task of the spectators is to enter the gaps on the field formed by the horses’ hooves.

‘Good luck with those heels Meghan.’

During her time in Britain as a working royal, the Duchess also showed loyalty to the chic stiletto.

When she attended the British team trials for the Invictus Games at Bath University in April 2018, she wore a pair of stiletto boots, even though it involved walking across the athletics track and lawn.

And for her first Buckingham Palace Garden party, just days after her wedding to Harry, she paired her nude dress with another sharp stiletto, even though a shorter block heel might have been more comfortable for walking on the grass.