Meghan Markle spends five times more money on clothes than Kate

Meghan is believed to have spent five times more on her wardrobe in 2018 than Kate. Photo / Getty

She only officially became a royal in May, yet the Duchess of Sussex – formerly Meghan Markle – reportedly spent more on her wardrobe last year than any other European royal.

Research published on fashion blog UFO No More found Prince Harry's new wife invested more than $800,000 in her wardrobe last year – five times more than her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge.

The Duchess of Cambridge is believed to have reduced her wardrobe spend in 2018 by nearly $100,000. Photo / Getty

In fact, Kate had a positively frugal year, cutting her clothing spend from a reported $235,000 in 2017, down to just $135,000 last year.

Denmark's Crown Princess Mary was the next biggest spender behind Meghan, with a wardrobe worth $174,000 in 2018.

Denmark's Crown Princess Mary was the second biggest spender, behind Meghan. Photo / Getty

UFO – which stands for Unidentified Fashion Object – specialises in identifying items of clothing worn by members of Europe's royal families. Every year, they calculate the value of various royal wardrobes, to establish who is the biggest spendthrift.

The Duchess of Cambridge came in fourth place, behind Meghan, Mary and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Princess Beatrice took eighth place, spending $95,000 on her wardrobe, while her newly married sister, Eugenie, came in twelfth, spending $63,000.

Of course, there's no way to know just how much of that money was really spent. While the British royal family has a strict policy of not accepting free outfits as gifts, the Duchess of Cambridge has been known to borrow outfits and accessories from designers, which are later returned.

Likewise, the totals could be even higher as the report only factors in clothes worn and photographed in public.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is believed to have spent more than $800,000 on her wardrobe last year. Photo / Getty.

1.Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
2.Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
3.Sophie, Countess of Wessex
4.Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
5.Princess Charlene of Monaco
6.Queen Maxima of Netherlands
7.Princess Beatrice
8.Princess Marie of Denmark
9.Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
10.Queen Letizia of Spain
11.Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway
12.Princess Eugenie
13.Princess Sofia of Sweden
14.Princess Madeleine of Sweden