Meghan Markle’s £56k braless dress adds the sparkle to Harry engagement photos

MEGHAN Markle sparkles in a daring £56,000 braless couture dress in  these joyous engagement portraits with  her fiancé Prince Harry.

The princess-in-waiting, 36, showed she is determined to be her own kind of royal as she opted for a see-through top embroidered with gold feathers.

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Meghan has until now chosen fairly affordable high street dresses.

But this Ralph & Russo gown has been offered previously for £56,000 — the price of a three-bed house in Hull and double the average UK salary.

Palace sources said Meghan and Harry paid for it privately, not from official royal funds, and it is thought they spent nowhere near that figure.

However, the hefty price tag sparked angry comments on Twitter, with Charlotte Gill posting: “£56,000 is utterly ridiculous for a dress — let alone one you can’t even see.”

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The frock’s makers  describe it as a “black tulle gown with silk org­an­za skirt, hand appliquéd with silk tulle ruffles and em­broi­d­ered with gold feather thread-work”.

In the three  engagement snaps — taken by fashion photographer  to the stars Alexi Lub­o­mirski — Meghan and 33-year-old Harry clearly show their adoration.

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One black and white image, in which the US actress wears a white knitted jumper by Victoria Beckham, shows the couple touching foreheads.

A second shows them hand-in-hand on the steps of Frogmore House, about a mile from Windsor Castle, where they will  marry  next May.

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And in the third snap, they stroll beside a river, with Meghan clinging lovingly  to the prince’s arm.

Kensington Palace said in a statement after the images were issued: “Thank you so much for all of the wonderful comments following the release of Prince Harry and Ms Meg- han Markle’s engagement photographs.

“The couple are so grateful for the warm and generous messages they have received during such a happy time in their lives.”

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Snapper Alexi said: “A huge thank you to HRH Prince Harry and Ms Markle, for allowing me to take their official engagement portraits.

"It was an incredible honour to be asked to document this wonderful event, but also a great privilege to be invited to share and be a witness to this young couple’s love for one another.”

The happy couple are preparing to spend their first royal Christmas together at the Queen’s country retreat of Sandringham in Norfolk.

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THE PRICE IS FRIGHT

MEGHAN wowed in the Ralph & Russo gown — but its price tag hardly makes her the next “People’s Princess”.

I bet the Queen spat out her caviar when she saw the pictures. And, are you even wearing a bra, Megs?

It’s a racier look than we were expecting. However, she  redeems herself by backing our own Victoria Beckham, in one of her £690 knits, left.

But if you really want to get us Brits on side, Meghan, follow Kate and choose a high street frock next time.