The relationship between the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex is once again making headlines, thanks to a soon-to-be-released royal biography.
Claims of tension and personal run-ins have plagued Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle for at least two years, though the palace has rarely addressed the claims.
Finding Freedom, a biography exploring Prince Harry and Meghan's relationship, suggests the sisters-in-law were never "at war" but merely had nothing in common and "struggled to move past distant politeness".
It also claims Meghan had hoped Prince William's wife would show her "the lie of the land" as she prepared for royal life, but that "didn't happen".
Here, 9Honey looks back on Kate and Meghan's relationship and the moments (some confirmed, many merely rumoured) that have raised eyebrows along the way.
Early 2017: First meeting
Harry and Meghan began dating in mid-2016, having been set up on a blind date in London.
According to The Sun, the prince introduced his new girlfriend to Kate in January 2017, two months after Meghan met Prince William for the first time.
RELATED: 'Spellbound' and 'destined': Behind the Sussexes' whirlwind romance
Harry and Meghan dropped in to the Cambridges' Kensington Palace apartment, with the American actress reportedly bringing a 'dream diary' as a birthday gift for Kate.
"It went really well and Meghan was very excited about meeting her," a source said.
2017: An 'awkward' moment and words of caution
Finding Freedom says Meghan and Kate had an "awkward moment" in early 2017 when they crossed paths at Kensington Palace.
"Although both were heading out to go shopping — in the same street — Kate went in her own Range Rover," the book claims.
LISTEN: 9Honey's podcast The Windsors looks at Meghan's early days in the royal family. (Post continues.)
Another biography, Royals at War, claims Kate pulled Harry to one side not long after she met Meghan, cautioning him about the speed at which their relationship was developing.
"She gently reminded him that he was dating someone with a completely different life, past, and career and it would take time, care and attention for them to integrate," authors Dylan Howard and Andy Tillett write.
Kate's own entry to the royal family had been significantly slower; she and Prince William dated for seven years (with a three-month break) before getting engaged in 2010.
Finding Freedom claims it was William's 'warning' to his brother about "getting to know this girl" that triggered a breakdown in relations between the two couples.
"Though it was not necessarily her responsibility, Kate did little to bridge the divide. She was fiercely loyal to her husband and his family," authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand write.
Late 2017: The engagement
In their joint interview with the BBC after their engagement was announced, Harry and Meghan spoke glowingly of how the royals, including Kate, had welcomed Meghan.
"Catherine's been absolutely amazing, as has William as well, fantastic support," Harry said, to which Meghan added: "She's been wonderful."
According to Finding Freedom, however, Meghan had hoped her future sister-in-law would fill her in on "everything an outsider to the Firm needed to know" when she started dating Harry, but "that was not how things turned out."
"Meghan was disappointed that she and Kate hadn't bonded over the position they shared, but she wasn't losing sleep over it," the book claims.
RELATED: Meghan received same 'training' Kate did to help navigate royal life, expert says
According to one source, Kate felt they didn't have much in common "other than the fact that they lived at Kensington Palace".
That said, a source told ET Kate had made an effort to "help Meghan adjust to life behind Palace walls", including guiding her on royal protocol. A source added: "Meghan often pops around to visit with Kate and the kids."
In December 2017 Meghan celebrated her first Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham; she and Harry stayed with William and Kate at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall.
Early 2018: The 'fab four' and wedding build-up
February 2018 saw the Cambridges and the Sussexes join forces for their first joint royal engagement, taking part in a Royal Foundation forum. The public, loving the show of solidarity, hailed them the 'Fab Four'.
Appearances aside, various reports of tension between Kate and Meghan that surfaced in late 2018 pointed to two 'incidents' in the leadup to the Royal Wedding in May.
The Sun reported Meghan "spoke rudely" to a member of Kate's staff at Kensington Palace, prompting Kate to tell her it was "unacceptable" behaviour. The palace denied the claim, saying, "This never happened".
The Telegraph reported Kate was 'left in tears' following a bridesmaid dress fitting for Princess Charlotte — "feeling quite emotional" at the time as she had only recently welcomed her third child, Prince Louis.
However, Finding Freedom contests the claim, sources saying that while the children were uncooperative during the fitting, there were no tears: "Kate and Meghan were both a little stressed but professionals in the room, and there were other people there."
Mid-2018: Post-wedding
In July 2018, Kate and Meghan attended Wimbledon together, their first public appearance together without their husbands.
Photos showed the sisters-in-law chatting and laughing in the Royal Box. Author Tom Quinn has claimed the pair were making jokes about being "really careful" to smile constantly "or the press will think we've fallen out".
However, it's been claimed their relationship "hadn't progressed much" since Meghan began dating Harry.
"Meghan would agree with the assessment that the duchesses were not the best of friends ... [they] just didn't know each other that well," Scobie and Durand write in Finding Freedom.
LISTEN: 9Honey's royal podcast The Windsors revisits Kate's entry into the British monarchy. (Post continues.)
The book also claims Kate sent Meghan flowers for her birthday (the year is not specified), but the Duchess of Sussex "would far rather have had Kate check in on her during the most difficult times with the press."
Sources close to the Cambridges have since contested suggestions the couple didn't make an effort with Meghan, telling the Daily Mail they "couldn't have been more welcoming".
"How can you say they weren't warm or welcoming when they hosted Meghan for Christmas, invited her into their totally private inner sanctum at Anmer Hall and did everything they could to make her feel at home? They personally cooked her favourite vegan food."
Late 2018: Windsor move announced
In November 2018, Harry and Meghan — who were expecting their first child — announced they would be moving from Kensington Palace, where they lived near William and Kate, to Windsor.
The news came as reports of 'rows' between the two couples began circulating in the UK press.
RELATED: 'Royal reality check: Kate and Meghan don't have to be best friends'
Harry and Meghan spent Christmas 2018 with the royal family once again, staying this time at Sandringham.
There was some social media speculation of 'tension' visible between the two couples in footage from Christmas Day.
Early 2019: 'Fab Four' part ways
In March 2019, the Sussexes and Cambridges attended the Commonwealth Day service, where Kate and Meghan greeted one another with a hug and were seen chatting ahead of the ceremony.
A source told Elle the pair had bonded during Meghan's pregnancy, claiming: "Catherine and Meghan enjoy seeing each other, and motherhood has definitely brought them closer together."
However, many interpreted Harry and Meghan's decision to part ways with the Kensington Palace office and staff they shared with William and Kate in April as evidence of a "feud".
That same month, the couple also relocated to Frogmore Cottage, Windsor as they prepared to welcome their first child.
People reported the distance created by the move relieved the public pressure on the two duchesses to become "best friends".
Mid-2019: Sister-in-law summer outings
In June 2019, the Sussexes stepped away from the Royal Foundation, the charitable arm William and Harry set up together, in order to create their own foundation.
In July, Kate and Meghan attended the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day, cheering on their husbands from the sidelines with their children.
Naturally, royal watchers pored over the photos, reading into the royal mums' body language and expressions. Finding Freedom claims the photos illustrated their "cordial but distant rapport", observing: "The two appeared to barely exchange a word."
Royal commentator Katie Nicholl told ET the images were "quite deliberately intended to snuff out" feud rumours.
Days later, Meghan and Kate attended Wimbledon together, along with Kate's sister Pippa Middleton. The trio appeared in good spirits, and the appearance was interpreted in the press as a sign the rumoured "rift" was over.
Late 2019: Turning point
In October, Meghan voiced her anguish about her treatment in the press in an ITV documentary. "Not many people have asked if I'm OK," she told Tom Bradby, a comment widely interpreted as a reference to the royal family.
After it aired, royal author Phil Dampier told The Express Kate was "doing her best to being everyone together and help Meghan" behind the scenes.
"I'm told she has reached out to Meghan and spoken to her on the phone. Kate feels sorry for her and knows that Meghan is struggling," he added.
In November, Harry and Meghan announced they would be taking six weeks off from royal duties. This saw them fly to Canada, where they spent the Christmas and New Year period — away from the royals.
Early 2020: The royal exit
Harry and Meghan's bombshell announcement of their plan to step down as senior working royals came in early January.
It just so happened to come on the eve of Kate's birthday — a move that reportedly didn't go down well with Prince William. At this point, the two duchesses "couldn't [have been] further apart", a source told Us Weekly.
RELATED: Kate has lost the one royal who knows what she's going through
They wouldn't be seen in public together until Meghan and Harry flew back to the UK from Canada for their 'farewell tour' of final royal engagements, the last of which was the Commonwealth Day ceremony.
Much was made of the duchesses' "frosty" interaction; per Finding Freedom: "Although Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate, the duchess barely acknowledged her."
A source told Katie Nicholl: "To be honest, I think Kate has taken it all badly. She, Harry, and William were once such a happy trio. She thinks what has happened is all very sad."
Mid-2020: Across the pond
Meghan and Harry are currently living in Los Angeles with Archie, while Kate and William have been isolating at their country home, Anmer Hall, with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. It's not known if the duchesses have been in contact throughout the pandemic.
Finding Freedom has thrust their relationship back into the spotlight, though the book suggests a "rift" was never quite the truth of the situation.
Katie Nicholl echoes this, telling ET there was never a "catfight" between the two duchesses, despite what some reports suggested.
"I was told there hadn't been a fallout over anything specific. I was told that they simply didn't click, that they didn't have a huge amount in common," she added.
See? Royals really are "just like us" — in that being related by marriage, or simply both being of the same gender, isn't a guarantee of a close relationship. As 9Honey's royal commentator Victoria Arbiter puts it:
"Kate and Meghan are very different women from very different backgrounds, and as such it's daft to assume that just because their husbands are brothers they have to be immediate besties."
What our sneak peeks inside the royals' homes during lockdown have revealed
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMieGh0dHBzOi8vaG9uZXkubmluZS5jb20uYXUvcm95YWxzL2thdGUtbWlkZGxldG9uLW1lZ2hhbi1tYXJrbGUtdGltZWxpbmUtcmVsYXRpb25zaGlwL2Y2MmZhMzk0LTIyMjEtNGU3Zi1hZDQ1LTYwYTJiNTI3ZTgxOdIBRGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLm5pbmUuY29tLmF1L2FydGljbGUvZjYyZmEzOTQtMjIyMS00ZTdmLWFkNDUtNjBhMmI1MjdlODE5?oc=5
2020-08-01 21:48:00Z
52780959812618
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar