The Travel Essentials Meghan Markle Never Flies Without
When it comes to jetsetting, the Duchess of Sussex is a seasoned pro. From her days as an actress, flying between filming locations to plane-hopping from Scotland's Castle of Mey to George and Amal Clooney's place on Lake Como earlier this summer, the style of Meghan Markle's flight routine may have changed a bit over the years, but it would seem her taste for travel hasn't.
With so many miles on her passport, it's no surprise that the Duchess has become something of a travel expert, familiar with both the glamorous ups and the disappointing downs of globetrotting.
"The foremost issue is self-care," she wrote in a 2016 post on the Tig. "It’s easy to run yourself ragged, hopping from one locale to another, sometimes feeling homesick, and other times just feeling plain-old sick (tummy, head cold, you name it.)"
So how does one the most stylish women in the world manage to stay happy, healthy, and sane while zipping between time zones? With a few tips from celebrity friends and a curated collection of in-flight must-haves.
Do Some Cleanup
No one can accuse Meghan of not taking hygiene seriously. "I’m no germophobe, but when I get on a plane I always use some quick hand wipes or a travel sanitizer spray to wipe it all down," she wrote on the Tig. "That includes the little TV, the service tray, and all the buttons around your seat." For maximum seat sanitation, her go-to was the Murchison-Hume Travel Spray Essentials set, now sadly unavailable. For similar bacteria-busting power and portability, we like The Honest Co. Honest Hand Sanitizer Spray in the scentless in Free and Clear option (because shared cabin space is not the place to be spraying serious scents).
Protect Yourself
Meghan's most unusual travel tip comes from an unexpected source. "A dear friend of mine once told me that Leonardo DiCaprio gave her an excellent travel tip," she wrote. "Evidently, he said that to avoid getting sick on planes, he puts a little Neosporin on a cotton swab and coats the inside of his nostrils. Not only does it create a barrier for germs, it also lubricates the skin in the nose. That’s important because when the skin cracks, germs can come a running in, so the coating of the Neosporin doubly protects you."
While it's somehow hard to image the flawlessly fashionable Duchess sticking antibacterial ointment up her nose, Leo's not alone on this oddball travel hack; a quick internet search reveals hundreds of threads by fellow nose-swabbing fans. As for whether or not it actually works, a Harvard medical expert told Glamour that the practice was fairly iffy-while it's not likely to hurt you, it's also not likely to provide a lot of extra germ protection. Consider this your permission not to follow the royal example.
Grab A "Portable Hug"
That's Meghan's term for one of her other in-flight essentials, a scarf. "This has become invaluable to me when catching some Zzzzzs on a flight, or feeling swaddled in a hotel room," she said in her blog post. "Throw it in your purse or backpack, and no matter how far you travel, you will always feel comforted both on and off the plane with something that feels and smells like home." Cozy options from Madewell were at the top of her list, like this fringed version.
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Prefer not to wear your warming gear? Meghan's also a fan of a thin cashmere blanket on planes. We're partial to the Sofia Cashmere Cable-Knit Travel Set because it comes with an eye mask and carrying case for easy packing and also has a luxe, cable-knit pattern so you can also wrap it around your neck, royal-style, before disembarking if the mood strikes.
Give Your Body a Boost
It's no secret that foodie Meghan pays close attention to what she puts in her body, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that one of her biggest travel must-haves is focused on keeping her insides healthy. "Always travel with a high strain probiotic," she advised on the Tig, recommending Dr. Ohhira's Complete Probiotic System for live cultures to help keep all of the good bacteria in your gut doing their thing.
It's not just about supplements for Meghan, though-she also insists on the importance of good old H2O for fending off post-flight exhaustion. "Hydrate like you’re dying of thirst–because even if you’re not, for your body–the thirst is real. This dynamic duo of probiotics and agua will keep your gut health in check and honestly stave off jet lag if you’re globetrotting on your travails."
That's not her only method of beating back jet lag. This one comes from Meghan's close friend (and rumored Harry-Meghan matchmaker) Misha Nonoo who advised the Duchess that "if you eat on the schedule of wherever you’ve landed, you won’t feel jet lagged."
The idea here is that if you eat on the same schedule as the locals, your stomach will get in sync with the new time zone and your body will follow suit. It's a technique Meghan swears by. "By simply eating a meal at the time the locals are when you land, you trick your brain a bit and stay much more on track, and much less cranky."
Get Organized
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Like any travel veteran, Meghan's a big believer in organization. That's why she opts for a high quality carry-on and a travel folio for keeping up with all of those documents and power cords. Her picks? The Ebby Rane Quartermaster carry-on, which comes with 10 gold-embossed specialty pouches to help keep all of your odds and ends in order, and the Stow First Class Leather Tech Case, which has slots for every passport, card, visa, and boarding pass as well as spots for all of your tech cables, a built-in USB, and a portable battery charger. With them, Meghan wrote, "Things will speed along so you can avoid less airport hiccups and can focus on the vacate part of the vacation."
Related Video: A Look at Meghan Markle's Style Evolution
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