Meghan and Harry's 'tranquil' outdoor furnishing taps into two of 2023's biggest textile trends

Jan 17, 2024

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have shared a glimpse in their Montecito yard – marking their first appearance together since an award ceremony in May.

In the video, released on August 2nd, the couple surprised some recipients of the first-ever Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund grants with phone calls while sitting on a blue and white striped garden bench – that, we confess, stole some of our attention. And we weren't alone.

Textile experts have shared that there is more to Harry and Meghan's outdoor furniture than initially meets the eye – most specifically in terms of their color choices. According to Prestigious Textiles' head designer, Marie Goodwin, the blue stripes are notably 'tranquil', while tapping into not one – but two – of 2023's biggest fabric trends.

'With its calming qualities, Blue is great for creating a tranquil and relaxing space in which to spend your summer. When paired with whites, the shade can transport you to somewhere on the Mediterranean coast,' Marie says.

Meanwhile, decorating with stripes is an interior design trend that is 'here to stay for summer' – and, thanks to Harry and Meghan's influence, we'd predict their popularity will not waver. Stripes bring order and structure to a space and have the ability to redirect the eye. When incorporated into a room scheme, they inject a dose of understated elegance and sophistication.

When it comes to recreating their look, we should opt for blue and white or cream cushions that, Marie says, are a 'subtle injection of the rising stripe trend.'

'Also, opting for softer pastel tones of stripes offers a more paired back take on the look,' she says.

And Marie is not exclusive in her observations of blue's therapeutic qualities. Crown's color consultant echos her teaching – saying that blue taps into the 'reset' trend that 'offers a chance to wind down' in summer months.

'This trend is evocative of the most breath-taking view – used to restore equilibrium with organic naturalness. This is the new Mediterranean aesthetic with a color palette of earthy, sandy neutrals and ethereal blues to echo the natural landscape of the sand and sky.'

The calming blue-striped furnishing is, therefore, a fitting choice for the couple, who were filmed discussing the impact of cyberbullying. The video shows them contacting some of the 26 projects who received funding from the fund while raising awareness of bullying online. Meghan praised the 'enormous impact' that the charity could make on tackling the harmful aspects of social media and misinformation.

Want to shop the look? We recommend these picks below.

Prevatte Metal Outdoor Bench

This antique rose-style bench is perfect for relaxing with a book in the yard. Constructed of cast iron and lightweight yet durable metal this bench is sturdy yet comfortable enough to spend hours in the sun.

Blue and White Pillow Cover

To get behind the same pattern and color trend, look no further than this striped blue and white pillow cover. It's big enough to cover most garden benches and offers the same therapeutic qualities as the one in Harry and Meghan's backyard.