There was certainly some very welcome good news in the world this week with the announcement of Prince Harry’s engagement to American actress Meghan Markle.

The two princes William and Harry have proved to be great royal assets, with their easy friendliness, humour and humanitarian projects, and Meghan appears to be a wonderful choice of bride.

The American actress has a strong background in advocacy and charity work, especially regarding women’s rights, but whether she likes it or not, what she wears is going to be a major focus point going forward.

Meghan Markle nailed her first public outing in a envy-inducing navy coat. Photo: Getty

William’s bride Kate has become a fashion force, with every outfit she wears selling out within hours, and Meghan is set to do the same – the white belted coat by Line The Label that she wore to the announcement of their engagement became such a hot item that demand crashed the Canadian’s brand’s website.

Meghan has contemporary cool-girl style – ripped jeans, white shirts, ballet flats, sunglasses, chic leather totes. She’s a little bit edgier than Kate, but her fashion choices seem to be classic enough not to upset royal protocol.

She sailed through her first public engagement for World Aids Day in Nottingham on Friday, in a gorgeous navy double-breasted long cashmere coat, black turtleneck sweater, cream mid-calf skirt and boots, all of which were quickly chronicled and promoted.

Judging by her past fashion choices, she likes to wear lots of shorts and mini dresses, which, if you had legs like hers, you would.

She may have to lower the hemlines slightly, but given that Harry is not the direct heir to the throne, she will have a little bit more sartorial leeway than her future sister-in-law Kate.

The Duchess of Cambridge seems slightly more conservative in her dress sense than Meghan, with her coatdresses, sheer stockings and beige LK Bennett pumps, but she has started to explore some more fashion-forward dress choices recently, such as the red off-the-shoulder Alexander McQueen dress she wore in Berlin.

Kate’s quiet, understated style is perfectly lovely, but maybe she will be able to experiment a little more. It’s fun to think that she and Meghan might get together and do that, “ So, what are YOU going to wear?” thing.

Perhaps Meghan’s (left) more casual off-duty style will allow Kate (right) to loosen up her own. Photo: Getty

The wedding is set for next year, and speculation is starting now about which designer Meghan will choose for her wedding gown.

Kate’s dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and is destined to go down in history as one of the world’s most beautiful wedding gowns, so the pressure is on.

It is probably not an easy transition into the royal family for these young women knowing they will be under public scrutiny for the rest of their lives, every outfit assessed and judged. So I applaud them.

There’s not much fashion information to be gleaned from a tizzy red carpet gown, but it is helpful to have new fashion icons championing chic, appropriate, real-life style. I need that navy coat.