Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 11, 2019. — Getty
Kate Middleton may be trying to end the royal feud that allegedly has been rocking Kensington Palace in the last few months.
On Monday, the Duchess of Cambridge entered Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Day service and publicly kissed her sister-in-law Meghan Markle on both cheeks.
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Royal expert Katie Nicholl, who is the author of the forthcoming book "Harry and Meghan: Life, Loss and Love," told Vanity Fair on Wednesday that the shocking move was no accident.
“According to a palace source, Kate Middleton’s unusual public gesture was deliberate — she hoped the warm embrace would be captured by the world’s media and finally put an end to the rumors of an ongoing feud,” said Nicholl.
Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) and Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, (R) greet each other as they attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 11, 2019. — Getty
The Commonwealth Day service is the last official royal engagement for Markle, 37, before the birth of her first child. The American actress became Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry in May of last year.
Nicholl shared Middleton was determined to send out the right message to the world about her relationship with the former “Suits” star before the couple welcomed their first child this spring.
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“They might not have a huge amount in common but Kate has no issue with Meghan,” revealed a source to the magazine. “She wants them to get along, not just for Harry’s sake but because two royal sisters-in-law at loggerheads wouldn’t be good, and Kate knows that. For Kate, it’s about keeping their relationships professional and putting on a show of togetherness.”
Nicholl added the relationship between the two 37-year-olds and their spouses, royal brothers William and Harry, seem to be improving. Markle and Harry, 34, are currently preparing to leave Kensington Palace for Frogmore Cottage, their new home on Queen Elizabeth II’s Windsor estate.
Kate Middleton and Prince William pose for a photo with their three children, George (right), Charlotte (middle) and Louis. (AP)
“As Meghan nears her due date, she and Kate have apparently been in regular touch,” said Nicholl. “There has long been reason to doubt the reports of a feud between the two women, though there was indication last fall that Harry and Prince William were experiencing some tensions. Now they’re said to be getting along well, and there was no sign of any distance between William and Harry on Monday.”
While things may be improving between the “fab four,” sources insist that joint public appearances between the couple won’t be as frequent from now on.
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“It’s not always been easy, there have been some issues behind the scenes, but Harry and Meghan want to leave on good terms and Kate especially has been making a real effort,” another source told Nicholl. “There are no bad feelings and I think Kate was keen to put an end to these rift rumors. She has no problem with Meghan and she has made it clear to Meghan that she’s there for advice or whatever Meghan might need.”
The publication shared the couple will come together for certain charity events and some family occasions. However, all four members of the royal family are preparing to go their own way and carve out individual roles within the palace. But for now, “builders are racing against the clock to get the work done at Frogmore before the birth of the new royal.”
Meghan Markle (Getty)
The first signs of a reported feud came in November 2018, when The Telegraph reported that Markle made Middleton cry over an argument involving bridesmaid dresses for her wedding to Harry.
The alleged tension between the two duchesses has been widely rumored as the reason behind the announcement of Markle and Harry moving out of London’s Kensington Palace, where Middleton resides with her husband and Harry’s older brother, Prince William, 36.
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Royal expert Leslie Carroll, who recently published a book titled “American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry,” told Fox News that while she doesn’t believe there is an ongoing war between Markle and Middleton, she isn’t surprised that the two women may clash at times.
“I think they’re very different women,” said Carroll. “They seem to get along very well as professionals, as two duchesses who are going to be working together on charitable things. But they do have very different personalities. Kate is obviously very British. She’s very reserved and quiet. She’s going to be the future queen, so she’s doing everything she’s supposed to do. And in comes this whirlwind of an American who is ambitious and has a social conscience.”
Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton (Getty)
Carroll pointed out that at the time of the purported bridesmaid dresses incident, Middleton was still recovering from giving birth to her third child, Prince Louis, on April 23. Therefore, she would have naturally been in a more emotional state while Markle was attempting to navigate her new life leading up to the royal wedding.
“Kate was postpartum at that time,” said Carroll. “She’s hormonal and sensitive. And the first thing anyone has ever said about Meghan was how kind she was. Her sorority sisters, her former teachers — the first word that came to anyone’s mind was ‘kind.’ So the fact that Meghan was not kind implies other things were going on… She had so much on her plate, it wouldn’t have been surprising if she did snap.”
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Ingrid Seward, the editor in chief of Majesty magazine, has been covering the royal family since the 1980s and has written over 20 books on the subject. Her latest one, “My Husband and I,” analyzes the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. She said she agrees with Carroll’s analysis.
Both experts agree that Markle and Harry’s plans to live in Frogmore Cottage also has nothing to do with a so-called feud rocking the monarchy. They shared Harry has always yearned to leave London for quieter, more private pastures.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a service marking the centenary of WWI armistice at Westminster Abbey on Nov. 11, 2018 in London. (Paul Grover- WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“I don’t think Harry moving out has anything to do about a fallout with his brother,” said Seward. “Kensington Palace is a huge enclave. It’s like a village. And Harry always felt very restrictive living there. He has said as much. And I think he wanted to be away from Kensington Palace and the royals there. Maybe he wasn’t getting on with his brother as he used to, but families are like that. You don’t have to get on with your sibling all the time.”
“They really want to be outside of the public,” said Carroll. “Harry has always felt that he couldn’t protect his mother Princess Diana from the paparazzi so he’s trying to do that for Meghan.”
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