Why is Prince Harry jogging in a beanie and puffer coat? How the Duke could be following in his wife Meghan’s footsteps by wrapping up in mild California winter weather
Prince Harry wrapped up warm as he stepped out for a run in Santa Barbara, California on Tuesday morning – despite the temperature reaching highs of 15C (59F) in the region, from as early as 6am.
By noon, it had thawed to 17C (62.6F) in the west coast area neighbouring Los Angeles.
But the Duke of Sussex, 39, appeared to opt for layers in a beanie and puffer coat, despite the warm weather, as he was pictured enjoying a jog.
According to the Met Office, winters in LA are pleasantly mild, with average daily max temperatures of 20.1C (68.2F) in January.
Meanwhile, the city’s hottest month – August – is not miles warmer, with an average max temperature of 29.1C (84.4F).
Prince Harry wrapped up warm as he stepped out for a run in Santa Barbara, California on Tuesday morning – despite the weather reaching highs of 15C (59F) in the region, from as early as 6am
Harry’s jacket is believed to be from upmarket brand Loro Piana, where outerwear can cost as much as £10, 785 ($14,500).
A similar looking model on the brand’s site, which sells for £2,615 ($3,350), is described as being water-repellent, windproof and having wool details on the sleeves.
Another Loro Piana jacket which is similar in appearance, being sold on the Yves Salomon site, is retailing for £2,300 ($2,690).
However, keeping his look more appropriate for the Californian climate, the father-of-two also seemed to sport a purple shirt and some light material shorts. It is not known why Harry chose to wrap up warm.
It’s possible that the Duke could be following in the footsteps of his wife, Meghan Markle, who earlier this summer had fashionistas scratching their heads at her desire to pop on a warm coat, no matter what the weather.
In August, the Duchess of Sussex, 42, opted for a £1,300 ($1,650) Max Mara wool coat for the outing, even though it was warm in Montecito that day.
Temperatures climbed as high as 22.7C (73F) and didn’t drop below 18C (65F). And it’s not the first time the former actress has opted for unusually cosy attire.
During a trip to New York in 2021, Meghan donned a number of woollen coats despite temperatures being in the mid 20s with high humidity.
It’s possible that the Duke could be following in the footsteps of his wife, Meghan Markle, who this summer had fashionistas scratching their heads at her desire to pop on a warm coat, no matter what the weather. Both pictured in Dusseldorf on September 16, when temperatures in the city reached highs of 27C (80.6F)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began their whirlwind New York City weekend in 2021 in very warm clothes
She added that the Duchess may also use it as a ‘comfort blanket’ to ‘shield herself’.
‘Wearing a thick woollen coat over an outfit despite it being 22C is certainly a little odd – even if the coat is a gorgeous camel coloured Max Mara number like the one we saw Meghan Markle wearing,’ the expert said.
‘There is no doubt that a coat, especially an immaculately cut designer ones as Meghan is partial to, can help to finish off an outfit and make the whole ensemble feel more pulled together.’
She added that a coat can elevate a look but it’s ‘ill-judged’ to do so in climates like LA.
‘Hailed as the essential “third piece” by fashionistas and stylists in the know, adding a coat over say, just a plain T shirt and pair of jeans, helps to complete the outfit, adding much needed shape, texture and interest, but there are plenty of other ways to do that in the balmy California sunshine and not overheat – so it is indeed curious that the Duchess has a habit of stepping out looking overdressed – both literally and figuratively speaking,’ she explained.
Meghan Markle, pictured, wore four thick coats despite temperatures of 70-80F in New York in 2021
Miranda continued: ‘Other possible explanations are that Meghan was heading somewhere with over-effective air-conditioning and would be spending time in arctic temperatures, but she could have just carried extra layers with her for this.
‘Another idea is that she was trying to disguise herself by hiding from prying eyes and camera lenses amongst layers of thick fabric, but if anything she was just drawing more attention to herself.’
‘In my opinion it is either a case of Meghan taking some ill-judged fashion advice, or the Duchess is literally using her wardrobe as a comfort blanket, shielding herself from the world and literally giving herself a very expensive sartorial hug, as she goes about her business without Harry.’
Harry’s morning jog marked his first sighting since the Daily Mail revealed Queen Elizabeth was distraught by his and Meghan’s claim they had her blessing to name their baby daughter Lilibet – the late monarch’s nickname.
In the brisk January weather, the 39 year-old royal was spotted jogging in a black jacket and matching shorts, seemingly wearing a frowning, serious expression.
Harry’s post-workout sighting comes just days after Robert Hardman’s bombshell new biography revealed the late Queen’s anger over the claim in 2021 that she had given them her blessing.
A member of Queen Elizabeth’s staff said she was ‘as angry as I’d ever seen her’ after Harry and Meghan publicly stated they would not have used her private family nickname if she had not been ‘supportive’.
The Queen was so upset that she told aides: ‘I don’t own the palaces, I don’t own the paintings, the only thing I own is my name. And now they’ve taken that.’
The revelation comes in the latest instalment of a new biography – Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story, by the Mail’s writer Robert Hardman, currently being serialized exclusively in the Daily Mail.
