Meghan Markle’s Scottish Handbag Sells Out After Royal Engagement

The ‘Meghan Markle Effect' is in full swing as fans rush to emulate the future royal's style.

Meghan's white engagement coat sold out just minutes after she was photographed wearing the £450 garment on Monday.

Now, a handbag made by a small Scottish label has also sold out after Prince Harry's future wife chose to carry the fashion item on her first royal engagement.

Meghan carried a £455 Stratbury tricolour leather midi tote with dual top handles during the couple's visit to Nottingham on Friday.

Stratbury is based in Edinburgh and was founded just four years ago by husband and wife team Guy and Lene Hundleby.

Neither had a background in fashion.

Mrs Hundleby worked in the financial sector and her husband ran a production company, but they were keen to build their own brand together.

After spending months travelling around Spain with their children when they were younger, they encountered families who had worked with leather over generations and whose skill was unparalleled.

Having chosen to work with the families, the Hundlebys also work closely with fashion bloggers and build up an online following.

They decided to expand the brand in 2015 and turned to Kickstarter, an online crowdfunding platform.

Stratbury would turn out to be one of the top three most funded UK fashion projects on the site, with more than 500 backers in all pledging in excess of £120,000.

A Stratbury spokeswoman said, “We are thrilled and honoured to see Meghan Markle carrying our Stratbury midi tote in tri-colour burgundy navy vanilla.

We are delighted at the news of her and Prince Harry's engagement, and wish them all the best for this exciting period.

It was a fantastic surprise to see that Meghan selected one of our core Stratbury styles to carry on her first royal engagement.

The Stratbury midi tote tri-colour is now sold out and will be restocking soon.

People can sign up for notifications on our website.”

Meghan was seen carrying her handbag with her while meeting the crowds, something that Kate rarely does, while her engagement ring was on full display.

However, the Queen is rarely seen without her signature Launer handbag, which suggests Meghan might be taking a leaf out of her book.

Meghan also flew the flag for Canada, where she had lived until recently, in a navy, military-inspired number by Maccage that has previously been seen on the wife of Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Sophie.

It's the second time she has worn a Canadian brand since her engagement.

On Monday, Meghan opted for a white wool coat, which instantly sold out, from Canadian brand Lionel Label, embracing her new base.

The skirt is from British brand Joseph coming in at £595, while her suede boots are from that staple of the British high street, Kurt Giger.

The actress finished her ensemble with a pair of elegant black suede heel boots by Kurt Giger, a change from the court shoes royal fans are used to seeing on the Duchess of Cambridge.

Wearing her burnette locks down in loose waves, she showed off her natural, glowing complexion as she arrived in the city.

It seems that Meghan may have also had an input when it came to Harry's wardrobe who stepped out in a tonally similar ensemble.

The Prince, 33, was also seen in a navy blue wool coat and his suede desert boots complemented the colour of Meghan's coat, shunning the traditional suit which is normally favoured by male members of the royal family for public engagements.

Harry instead opted for a simple open-collared white shirt.

He also appeared to accent the colour of Meghan's skirt wearing a scarf in a shade of sand that almost perfectly matched the 36-year-old's outfit.

As the couple arrived, they walked towards a group of dignitaries with one arm around each other's backs.

The couple appeared in perfect sync as they moved along the seemingly endless line of well-wishers.

Members of the crowd called out Harry's name, while others held up camera phones to capture the moment, or stretched out their hands for the Prince and his fiancée to shake.

The visit aims to raise awareness of HIV AIDS and efforts to tackle youth crime but it also gave the Prince the opportunity to showcase his partner to the nation.

Harry chose Nottingham, a city he knows well, for their first walkabout, a mainstay of royal engagements.

The couple, who arrived by train, began their tour with a civic welcome at the National Justice Museum in Nottingham's historic Lace Market district.

Instead of their arrival, hundreds of curious and excited onlookers had packed the streets, including avid fan Irene Harbman.

The 81-year-old is well known for handing bags of Haribo sweets to Harry, and first presented his father, the Prince of Wales, with two bags, the other for brother William, 20 years ago.

She said, “It is absolutely wonderful and fantastic, and we're privileged they've chosen Nottingham to be their first official engagement.

The city and its people are close to Harry's heart, with the visit his third public trip there since October last year.”

It is the first official engagement by the couple in what will be a six-month tour of the UK, allowing the American former actress to get to know her new home.

Holly Burdett, who is originally from West Brintford, Nottinghamshire, but now lives in Sydney, Australia, flew back to the UK earlier this month on a gamble that the couple would announce their engagement.

She said, “It paid off.

I knew they'd be in London, doing something, and it's been about a year since they started properly dating,” she joked.