Meghan Markle Admits She Used Boxed Dye During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Royals, they're just like us!

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex watches the sitting volley ball competition on day 2 of the Invictus Games 2020 at Zuiderpark on April 17, 2022 in The Hague, Netherlands.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Megha Markle opened up about her Covid-19 pandemic beauty regimen in a truly relatable moment.

On Friday, Nov. 15, while attending the launch party for her friend and colorist Kadi Lee and her new Highbrow Hippie Haircare and Wellness line in Venice, California, Markle admitted that during the onset of the unparalleled pandemic she resorted to using box dye to keep her hair color looking fresh.

"I was using boxed dye when I met her!" Markle told attendees, referring to Lee. (Markle is an investor in the woman-founded company.)

In addition to admitting she's not above some dye in a box, Markle talked about her decision to invest in Lee's company, not just because she's a friend but because she's a woman in business.

"I am so proud to invest in [Kadi] as a friend and as a female founder," the Duchess of Sussex told InStyle at the time. "Kadi has a mastery of hair health, and her Highbrow Hippie collection is a perfect reflection of that."

When Markle isn't DIYing her own hair, she has relied on Lee to color her hair on many occasions.

Meghan Markle wearing a black corset and pants with her arm around Kadi Lee who is holding a bouquet of roses, and Serge Normant standing next to them in a black jacket

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Kadi Lee and Serge Normant attend the Launch of Highbrow Hippie Haircare & Wellness at Gjelina on November 14, 2024 in Venice, California.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As Marie Claire previously reported, Markle stunned in a sleek, black Khaite corset featuring a sweetheart neckline with coordinating wide-legged black trousers by the designer during the event. The Duchess of Sussex completed her SoCal look with a gold Logan Hollowell pendant necklace and a pair of strappy black Aquazurra sandals.

Admitting she used box dye during Covid-era lockdowns is not the first time Markle has opened up about what helped her get through such an unprecedented time.

"Over the last year, each of us have felt the profound effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Be it the loss of a loved one, the health challenges far too many faced, or the disproportionate life changes everyone has experienced, it has been an overwhelming process of grief, growth and also of gratitude," the Duchess wrote in a foreword for the London animal welfare charity Mayhew's 2020 annual review.

"I have heard from so many of you about the impact of having a pet with you at home during the isolation of lockdown; you have mentioned the therapeutic effect of having your animal by your side and the solace and comfort you found in their company," she continued. "This effect is something Mayhew strives to deliver day in and day out to people throughout the UK and beyond."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand together in their home for a video

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand together in their home for a video

(Image credit: Courtesy)

And like many of us during that time, Markle also tested her baking skills during the pandemic, which led to her baking a cake as a "thank you" to frontline and Covid-19 response workers.

"In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, WCK worked with Archewell, the non-profit created by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to provide meals & share a message of appreciation & support in Chicago," World Central Kitchen, the non-profit founded by José Andrés to provide meals in the wake of disasters, shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, back in 2021.

"Dessert was a lemon olive oil cake baked by The Duchess—with lemons from her garden!"

In their message of support, the Sussexes wrote, "We hope you enjoy the offering we baked for you—a small token of thanks, from our home to yours."

Jenny Hollander
Digital Director

Jenny is the Digital Director at Marie Claire. A graduate of Leeds University, and a native of London, she moved to New York in 2012 to attend the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She was the first intern at Bustle when it launched in 2013 and spent five years building out its news and politics department. In 2018 she joined Marie Claire, where she held the roles of Deputy Digital Editor and Director of Content Strategy before becoming Digital Director. Working closely with Marie Claire's exceptional editorial, audience, commercial, and e-commerce teams, Jenny oversees the brand's digital arm, with an emphasis on driving readership. When she isn't editing or knee-deep in Google Analytics, you can find Jenny writing about television, celebrities, her lifelong hate of umbrellas, or (most likely) her dog, Captain. In her spare time, she writes fiction: her first novel, the thriller EVERYONE WHO CAN FORGIVE ME IS DEAD, was published with Minotaur Books (UK) and Little, Brown (US) in February 2024 and became a USA Today bestseller. She has also written extensively about developmental coordination disorder, or dyspraxia, which she was diagnosed with when she was nine.