All the Ways Jessica Mulroney’s Star Has Risen In The Six Months Since The Royal Wedding

Pre-royal wedding, most Canadians associated the name Mulroney with conservative politicos and red carpet CanCon. But as a certain Duchess of Sussex has ascended, so too has her Canadian bestie, Jessica Mulroney. Just last month, the longtime stylist and social media socialite landed a regular gig on Good Morning America. Next stop? Global domination, we’re sure.

Here, we trace Jessica Mulroney’s ascension from who’s-that-girl status to mainstream success.

May 19, 2018: A Star Is Born

Matron of honour “in all but name” is how most royal watchers describe Jessica’s wedding role (which leads to a score of “Who Is Jessica Mulroney?” posts). Vanity Fair says the entire event is a Markle/Mulroney co-pro, with Meghan consulting Jessica on everything from clothing selections to canapés, while the gossipy folks at Page Six zeroed in on her “Pippa moment” (read: #belfie) — which may or may not have been an accident. Either way, the infamy earned Jess a major spike in her Insta following (up 60,000 followers in a few days). Not to mention the fact that her son Ben’s toothless grin becomes the day’s most viral moment.

July 2018: Jessica Scores a Major Style Win

According to Omid Scobie, a royal commentator for Good Morning America, Jessica makes a secret trip to Kensington Palace to weigh in on final wardrobe selections for Meghan’s first royal tour, to Ireland, presumably followed up by some well-deserved fist pumping when the  jaunt is deemed a fashionable “tour de force” and “another job well done by her stylist Jessica Mulroney.” The duchess earns further fashion props the following week for her look at a centennial celebration of Nelson Mandela in London; her blush coloured trench-frock is by the Canadian label Nonie, who goes as far as to thank @JessicaMulroney on an Instagram post. (In case anyone is still confused about who is pulling the strings here).

August 2018: Meghan and Jessica Reunite in Toronto

Later in the summer it’s MM’s turn to make a covert trip across the pond, flying undercover (and commercial!) for some good, old-fashioned girl time. “They spent their days catching up, cooking together and, of course, playing with Jessica’s children, who love their ‘Auntie Meg,’” says Good Morning America’s royal correspondent Omid Scobie, who seems to have a pretty solid inside source on all things Jessica and Meghan. Keep in mind this visit went down at the height of the whole Thomas Markle debacle. Amidst reports that the Duchess’s inner circle is shrinking (because she doesn’t know who she can trust), it’s clear that some friendships remain rock solid.

September 2018: Jessica Has a New Client and New Clothing Line

County singer Shania Twain, styled by Jessica, wears four different dresses by the Canadian label Greta Constantine while hosting the CCMAs. And as part of her ongoing partnership with Hudson’s Bay, Jessica launches a new line of “elevated cozy” basics at the retailer — cute enough, but missing a certain “Markle sparkle.”

October 2018: Jessica Joins the Royal Tour in Australia

This time, the newly preggo duchess doesn’t just consult her favourite fashion guru for her 14-day tour to Australia and New Zealand, she brings her along for the ride. Unofficially, of course, meaning that Jess and husband Ben Mulroney are not part of the Sussexes' official team (in other words, they pay their own way). Note that said team does not include a stylist, despite the fact that Markle wears up to three outfits a day. Translation: Jessica is hard at work behind the scenes, to mostly emoji-clap worthy results. Yes, a tag is seen poking out of a gorgeous red Self Portrait dress. Which may have been an unfortunate accident… or a stroke of (unofficial) stylist brilliance. Because who hasn’t been there before? That Duchess really is just like us.

November 2018: Jessica Lands a Sweet New Gig

After a few years as a CityLine contributor in Toronto, Mulroney makes a leap to the big leagues with a new gig as fashion correspondent for NYC-based Good Morning America.(Could this be a clue as to how the show has been privy to so much insider info?) Further proof that she is now officially a celebrity in her own right: the Daily Mail paps her smoking on the curb following her first GMA appearance. Not ideal, but no question, Canada’s fashion queen is on fire.