I Went to Kinda Crazy Lengths to Get My Hands on Meghan Markle’s $55 Puffy Sleeve Shirt—This Is My Story

It was nearly noon on a Friday when I happened to take a 30-second break to do my once-an-hour scan of the latest Meghan Markle news. After all, she was in the U.K. with Prince Harry for her swan song as a senior member of the royal family. With only a handful of “official” appearances to go, I wanted to stay up to speed.

That’s when I spotted it: Right there on Meghan and Harry’s @SussexRoyal Instagram account, Meghan debuted the most gorgeous (and striking) sheer-sleeve blouse in white for an appearance at the National Theatre, one of her patronages as the Duchess of Sussex. My curiosity was piqued. A quick Google search later and I found it: The top was a cool $55 from Topshop. Affordable and royal? I knew I had to have it.

Bonus: Time was on my side since Meghan’s post was only 30 minutes old, so I sprung into action.

My first move was to click over to the Topshop website. The U.S. version of the site still had a size 2 in stock. My internal dialogue began: Hmmm...could my larger-than-a-size-two self make a size two work? Decidedly not, so it was back to the retail drawing board. Was the blouse still in stock on the U.K. site? It was! And in a size 6, which—based on all the available Topshop sizing information I could dig up—sounded much better suited to my bod. 

Just like that, the shirt was in my cart! I was ahead of the world, scooping up what would soon be a Meghan Markle style classic before it ceremoniously sells out!

Not so fast, the Topshop site seemed to say, even as I had my wallet out. I was being redirected back to the U.S. site. Apparently, Topshop U.K. does not—I repeat—does not ship to the U.S. Le sigh.

I paused for a second, then decided I was in too deep to give up now. I re-opened Instagram and pulled up the account of my Brooklyn-turned-Londonite pal. “This is the weirdest request!” I said as I passed along the shot from @SussexRoyal via DM. “I am obsessed with this top that Meghan Markle wore today. It’s still available in the U.K. Can I order, have it delivered to you, then have you send to me?” But as soon as I hit send, I peeped her IG Stories feed. She was on vacation in Portugal! Thwarted again.

But I had one final card to play. I dialed my ever-supportive husband at work. “Everything OK?” he answered. (I never call him at work.) 

My reply: “Don’t ask questions, but I need you to get the address of your friend in London so I can mail him a Meghan Markle top that he will then ship to me in the U.S. Cool?”

My superhero husband didn’t miss a beat. “OK, hang on.” He messaged his friend on Slack. Miraculously, especially given the six-hour time difference, he got an immediate reply. I now had an address. Seconds later, I had an order confirmation—and a delivery date for the royal shirt I had to have.

Later that afternoon, with the retail pressure off, I messaged my husband’s friend—who, to be fair, I’ve met twice before—myself: “Thanks for indulging my crazy. Also, the shirt will be at your flat on March 17.”

His reply? “Just call me the discrete South London fixer.” Royal mission accomplished.