Meghan Markle may have skipped the red carpet at the 2024 ESPY Awards, but she still shined inside the event in a white halter dress reminiscent of Stella McCartney's wedding reception dress.

The Duchess of Sussex exuded elegance as she sat next to Prince Harry, who received the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 11. Stylist Jamie Mizrahi dressed the formal royal in a sparkling white gown custom-made by Oscar de la Renta. Earlier reports indicated that Markle was wearing a piece from Staud's Spring/Summer 2024 collection.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were only briefly on screen during the event as they watched their friend Serena Williams host the awards ceremony.

Markle tied her hair back and showed off a pair of square diamond earrings. Her beauty look was classically minimalist, with lightly lined eyes and glowing blush. The dress was paired with Celine strappy sandals (long sold out) and a white pedicure to coordinate with the ivory of the gown. On her wrist, a Cartier bracelet shone.

Prince Harry stood beside her, wearing a black suit with a slim tie by Giorgio Armani. The two were all smiles as they appeared on the screen and were praised by Serena Williams in her opening remarks. (Specifically, during the ceremony, the former royals joked that they couldn't "overshadow" her.)

The couple also had a great time together.

After Prince Harry received the Pat Tillman Distinguished Service Award and gave a moving speech about his work supporting veterans through the Invictus Games, he and Markle joined Serena Williams for a belated red carpet photo. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remained in coordinated black and white outfits, while Serena Williams changed from her Armani Privé gown into a bright red Ferragamo halter dress with resin detailing.

A post shared by a fan on the platform X showed Markle making her way around the Dolby Theatre to greet friends in the audience. The photo also showed a stunning low back and slim-fitting skirt.

In its silhouette and color, Markle's Oscar de la Renta dress was identical to the dress from Stella McCartney's 2018 wedding reception. Its earlier pieces also had halter necklines and low backs.

Between her 2018 wedding and the 2024 ESPY Awards, Markle wore several other white dresses. The dress, by designers such as St. Agni and Valentino, is one of her favorite shades to wear to formal events and press appearances. White suits are also a regular part of her wardrobe.

Even without the backlash surrounding Prince Harry's award, the couple might have skipped the carpet. Meghan Markle has not made many official red carpet appearances in 2024. Her most recent step-and-repeat walk was in January at the premiere of "Bob Marley: One Love" in Kingston, Jamaica. Princess Meghan wore a black ball gown appropriate for the occasion, featuring one of her favorite designers, Carolina Herrera. Prince Harry joined her in a navy suit and white button-down shirt.

Markle, despite being out of the main awards ceremony held near her new home in Montecito, California, did not deprive her followers of an outfit to dissect. Shortly after hiring Jennifer Lawrence and Adele's stylist, Jamie Mizrahi, in March, the former royal gave us a glimpse of her new, more sophisticated, personal style.

First, she attended a weekend polo competition for Sentebale, a charity co-founded by Prince Harry, in several outfits that signified a new wardrobe era. One was a cutout white halter dress by California designer Heidi Merrick, and the other was a backless black St. Agni dress.

The couple then embarked on a three-day tour of Nigeria, where Meghan Markle prepared outfits that onlookers could decipher for weeks. Brief samples of her meaningful choices included a sultry side-slit dress by Johanna Ortiz and a peach-colored sundress by Heidi Merrick. The Duchess tends to prefer clothing that has meaning tied to the occasion or the place she is visiting, and she re-wore a red dress from a local Nigerian designer and a Carolina Herrera silk gown she wore for her son Archie's first birthday on Mother's Day.

Both Markle and Prince Harry are working behind the scenes for causes close to their hearts. Markle visited Children's Hospital Los Angeles in April to read with patients (re-wearing her floral Oscar de la Renta dress) and give a brief speech at the Kinsey Art Collection opening (wearing a floral Carolina Herrera cape).

The ESPY Awards will be their first public appearance together since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's whirlwind tour of Nigeria. Markle's attendance at the 2024 ESPY Awards was not always guaranteed. Rumors circulated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would be absent from tonight's awards ceremony after a petition circulated online calling for someone else to receive the award, claiming that Prince Harry was not worthy of the award. However, Marie Claire reported on Wednesday, July 10, that Prince Harry had no plans to withdraw from the Tillman Prize. Shortly before the award ceremony, it was reported that the couple "did not mind the criticism."

By all accounts, the two appeared to look their best. The chroniclers of Meghan Markle's every fashion move were grateful.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to credit Meghan Markle's 2024 ESPY Awards dress and jewelry.