- Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton first met in January 2018, the day after Kate's 36th birthday.
- Meghan brought a thoughtful present for her then-future sister-in-law: a leather-bound Smythson notebook.
- The gift "helped to break the ice," according to royal biographers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.
The official release of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry biography Finding Freedom is still about a week away, and yet royal fans have already enjoyed a veritable feast of inside Sussex knowledge courtesy of authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand. As Hello! reports, the upcoming biography sheds light on Meghan's very first meeting with Kate Middleton—and the sweet gift Meghan bought for her soon-to-be sister-in-law.
According to Scobie and Durand, Meghan and Kate first met on January 10, 2018—about four months before Meghan and Harry's royal wedding, and the day after Kate's 36th birthday. "Meghan bought a present for the duchess," Scobie and Durand write in Finding Freedom. "The soft leather Smythson notebook helped to break the ice, as did Meghan's cooing over then 20-month-old Charlotte."
While things got off to a good start, the relationship between Meghan and Kate never progressed beyond "distant politeness," according to a previously released excerpt from the biography. Kate was reportedly less than friendly to Meghan during March's Commonwealth Service, after Meghan and Harry announced they would step down as senior royals; what's more, the Sussexes were excluded from the event's official lineup.
"The decision had been made without their consultation, and they were informed long after the 2,000 orders of service had been printed for guests, with their names notably absent," Scobie and Durand write. As for the Duchesses Sussex and Cambridge: "Although Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate, the duchess barely acknowledged her."
The event left Meghan "emotionally bruised and exhausted," according to a friend. "She couldn’t imagine wanting to set a foot back into anything royal again."
RELATED STORIES
-
Princess Diana Nearly Caused Two Hollywood Heartthrobs to Get in a "Fist-Fight" Over Her"Straight men seemed to completely lose their minds in her presence."
-
Florence Pugh Triples Her Fashion Output in Multiple 'Thunderbolts*'-Inspired LooksShe's taking the subtle approach to method dressing.
-
Annoyed By Your Overly Visible Nose Hairs? Here's What the Pros DoPutting the best removal methods to the test.
-
Meghan Markle Used Her Outfits to Send Messages When She Couldn’t, She SaysThe Duchess of Sussex reflected on the impact of her clothing at a time when she "wasn't out talking."
-
Meghan Markle Says This Feature Prevented Her From Modeling as It Wasn't "A Sign of Beauty"The Duchess of Sussex opened up about the early days of her career in her new podcast.
-
Meghan Markle Shares Oprah's Advice About Starting a BusinessThe iconic talk show host helped the duchess find herself in jam.
-
Why Meghan Markle Sends "Secret Emails" to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet "Every Night"Meghan and Harry's kids will be able to access the emails "maybe when they're 16 or...18."
-
Meghan Markle Responds to Rumors She Might Run for President in the Future During Podcast Appearance"I mean, you could say, 'Never say never.'"
-
The Kardashian Sister Prince Harry Was Almost Set Up With by a Mutual Friend Before He Met Meghan Markle"I walked in and saw her with Princess Beatrice."
-
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's Vibrant Red Hair Is the Star of Meghan Markle's Latest Instagram PostThe little royals most definitely take after dad Prince Harry.
-
Princess Lilibet's Cute American Accent Is on Full Display as She Taste-Tests Mom Meghan Markle's JamThe little royal gave her honest review in a seriously sweet Instagram video.
