Meghan Markle shows a rare glimpse of her perfect pedicure in strappy sandals as she crosses her legs at ESPY Awards - despite choosing another floor-sweeping maxi dress amid claims she 'hates' her feet

Meghan Markle has become known for hiding away her feet with sweepingly long clothing and stylish - yet sensible - shoes.

However, at last night's ESPY Awards in California , the Duchess of Sussex, 42, made the rare choice to bare her perfectly manicured toes while wearing strappy black leather sandals.

The royal was the image of glamour as she sported a bespoke Oscar de la Renta gown to support her husband Prince Harry at the event.

When she was seated, the dress gave a rare glimpse of her feet - which have reportedly been an insecurity for her in past.

However, it's clear Meghan has nothing to worry about as the Celine heels she opted for complemented her perfectly and made the perfect finish to the ensemble.

In 2020, an industry videographer who worked closely with the former Suits star before she met the Duke of Sussex claimed that on set she had strict rules about never shooting her feet, and 'hated' them.

The mother-of-two's feet became a hot topic of conversation after she took off her shoes during a royal tour in New Zealand in 2018, revealing what some thought was a scar from a bunion-removal operation.

Meanwhile in 2022, Thomas Bower in his book Revenge: Meghan, Harry And The War Between The Windsors claimed that Meghan has in past even asked for her feet to be 'fixed' after a photoshoot.

The author alleged that in post-production of the commercials of Reitmans, Canada's largest women's clothing retailer, Meghan 'sent countless demands about changes to the colour of her lipstick and her waistline'. One request related to some open-toe sandals she was wearing was said to have generated particular mirth'.

'Please fix my feet for me,' she allegedly wrote. 'I get slaughtered online for [sic] people picking apart my feet, sadly.'

It has been speculated that this may explain her tendency to prefer dressing in longer hemlines in recent years

As she and the Duke of Sussex this year carried out 'quasi-royal' duties including their tour of Nigeria and events marking the Invictus Games, a new trend appears to be emerging in her outfits as she dons trousers, skirts and dresses that appear altogether too long for her.

Instead of tailoring her maxi outfits so they perfectly match her 5ft 6in frame, the Duchess often wears clothes that no doubt add to her chic style, but also drag along the floor as she walks.

It might seem an odd miss in the otherwise incredibly stylish Duchess's repertoire - but a celebrity style expert has suggested Meghan's perceived oversight may actually be a very deliberate decision on her part in order to create a particular illusion.

During Meghan and Harry's 'quasi-royal' tour of Nigeria, the Duchess showcased several examples of very long clothing.

One such outfit came in the city of Abuja, where she opted for an aptly-named Windsor dress in blush silk, which retails for £1,106.

Its California-based designer, Heidi Merrick (one of the Duchess's favourites) actually offers a slightly altered version of the frock for petite customers via its tailoring service.

However as Meghan danced the afternoon away at the Wuse Lightway Academy, she appeared not to have opted for the tailored version of the frock and instead donned a version which skimmed the floor as she bopped to Jump Up, Turn Around.

Similarly in Lagos, the former senior working royal chose to wear a Carolina Herrera Silk Overlay Column gown in 'taxi cab' yellow.

Meghan was all smiles as she soaked up the sun in the 30-degree weather and visited the Lagos State Governor's Office.

And yet again, she wore a lengthy vibrant and flamboyant ensemble that dragged along the grass lawn.

Celebrity stylist Rochelle White told Femail that the Duchess likely wears long clothing that covers her feet because it gives the illusion of height.

She said: 'Long dresses and trousers, depending on body type, can help to elongate the body and shape.

'They can make you look taller and depending on the styles can help to define areas of the body you either want to highlight or cover up.'

When the royal couple spent a week in Frankfurt last summer to attend the Invictus Games, Meghan wore an all-brown ensemble on a day that saw them both watching events and attending a NATO meeting.

This was made up of a chocolate-coloured blouse and creased taupe trousers that trailed along the floor.

She stood next to Prince Harry - who is a whopping 6ft 2inches in height - and although she barely came up to his shoulder, Rochelle says she appears taller because of her outfit choice.

She said: 'Looking at Meghan, I feel that these styles make her look taller and highlight her silhouette. I feel it makes her look taller.

'I feel that she knows her body and the things or items that work for her best and is tapping into that with her looks.'

In 2018, during Meghan's trip to Edinburgh with Harry, she proudly donned a pair of lengthy, flared black trousers which were too long for her despite wearing a pair of heels.

As the Duchess was busy greeting people who braved the unpredictable Scottish weather to see the former royals , the slacks were pulled along the wet concrete, gathering dirt on the bottom of them.

In 2018 during her visit to Sydney , the mother-of-two was pictured walking along the sand in a black and white striped maxi dress and the following year during her visit to Morocco with Harry, Meghan donned a large cobalt patterned frock.

It's no secret that her wardrobe is different from Kate's, with Rochelle noting that the Princess of Wales opts for more traditional pieces of clothing.

She said: 'Meghan has more of trendy edge when it comes to her style. Kate is very classic and chic in her fits and style with traditional pieces thrown in.

'With Meghan, I feel she is very much herself and has elements that really showcase her personality and personal style.

'With off the shoulder tops, shorts, co-ords and racer back tops, she doesn't hide what she likes and what works for her.'

While Kate tends to wear more fitted dresses and tailored trousers, Meghan's style is dubbed more relaxed and personal.