Meghan Markle Steps Out in a Stunning Custom Gown at the Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala

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Last night, the 15 Percent Pledge hosted its yearly gala at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, celebrating Black-owned businesses and support for Black culture. CNN’s Abby Phillip hosted the event, which highlighted the nonprofit’s ongoing work to help Black entrepreneurs succeed.

Tina Knowles received the evening’s top award, recognizing her long-time commitment to supporting Black creators and her strong voice as a leader in the business world.

Duchess Meghan embraced the “black tie, Black designer” theme with a stunning custom gown by Charles Harbison. The dress was a sophisticated, strapless design in a soft oyster hue, featuring a sleek, column shape and a sweetheart neckline highlighted with bold black trim.

A dramatic black velvet and silk shawl completed the look, flowing behind her like a train as she walked across the green carpet. Before the event, designer Charles Harbison shared on social media the hard work that went into creating the custom piece.

He admitted the lead-up to the gala was busy, but expressed how proud he was of the finished gown. Harbison, who also styled Winnie Harlow for the evening, said the final fitting went exceptionally well and that this design was one of his proudest creations.

Meghan chose a timeless and elegant hairstyle – a sleek chignon – that showed off her beautiful vintage earrings, which featured black onyx and diamonds. She attended the gala by herself, and was photographed with Emma Grede, a board member of the organization. The gala was the culmination of a weekend of events, including a block party, celebrating how the organization has invested billions of dollars in Black entrepreneurs since 2020.

Meghan Markle looked beautiful at the 2026 Fifteen Percent Pledge Fundraising Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday, an event celebrating Tina Knowles. 🖤✨

— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) February 8, 2026

Following her appearance at the gala, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has a busy year ahead with several new projects. She’s updated her lifestyle brand to “As Ever,” aiming for a wider, more international audience beyond the Santa Barbara area.

Her brand will launch its first collection in March, including home and garden items, as well as her popular fruit preserves. She’s also executive producing and starring in a new Netflix series called “With Love, Meghan,” which will showcase her passions for cooking, gardening, and the importance of strong female friendships. This marks a return to public life following the recent documentary she and Prince Harry created, “Cookie Queens,” which they presented at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

Besides her other projects, Meghan Markle also produced Polo, a five-part documentary now on Netflix. The series follows the intense world of professional polo players competing in the US Open Polo Championship, and Meghan was actively involved in creating it through her production company, Archewell Productions.

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2026-02-09 14:14