
When Meghan Markle was preparing to join the Royal Family, many were rooting for her and Kate Middleton to forge a sisterly alliance. Others, on the other hand, found it all too easy to pit the two women against each other.
Sadly, it sounds like the latter camp's predictions turned out to be the most accurate: Since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex' royal exit, there has famously been a certain amount of tension between Princes William and Harry especially, with their wives presumably siding at least somewhat with their respective husbands.
Although the Duchess of Cambridge has been reported to try to mend the relationship between her husband and his brother, perhaps the most notable sign of tension between her and her California-based counterpart was when Markle admitted that Middleton had made her cry ahead of her 2018 wedding, during the 2021 Oprah interview.
Now, an explosive upcoming biography by no-holds-barred royal author Tom Bower is shedding light on some of the feelings that may have been happening behind the scenes when the Sussexes were still working royals.
In an excerpt of Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors (opens in new tab) published by The Times (opens in new tab), Bower writes, "No other member of the royal family had suffered as much embarrassment from their own family as Meghan. There was some equivalence in Meghan’s contempt for her half-siblings, Samantha and Thomas, and now Harry’s for Kate and William, in particular.
"The Cambridges, she believed, were failing to offer the recognition and generosity she deserved. She hated the comparisons with uncomplaining Kate. Effortlessly, the Cambridges appeared to be perfect. Meghan appeared to be influenced by envy of Kate. In turn, the future queen regarded her neighbour as dismissive."
I've never met either duchess, and I can't speak to their character or behavior behind the scenes, but I will observe that Bower is known for unbridled criticism, and that his consistent use of negative adjectives to describe Markle and positive ones to describe Middleton works to create a specific and one-sided impression of the two women. With that, I'll leave you to make up your own mind.
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
-
The 2023 Nail Trends That Are Taking Over, According to the Pros
We're going back to basics.
By Samantha Holender
-
How to Style an Oversized Sweater
Big knit energy.
By Emma Childs
-
Netflix's 'Perfect Match' Season 1: Everything We Know
What happens when contestants from 'Love Is Blind,' 'Too Hot to Handle,' and 'The Ultimatum' get together?
By Quinci LeGardye
-
Princess Kate Is Likely to Feel "Overwhelmed" by Her Responsibilities This Year, Astrologer Says
...relatable.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry Will "Be Able to Build Bridges" With Certain Members of the Royal Family in 2023, Astrologer Claims
We shall see.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Princess Kate Just Revealed Her Workout Routine Involves Trampolining With Her Kids
I love this.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry's Memoir Hasn't "Had a Profound Effect" on Princess Kate, Body Language Expert Claims
She didn't let it get to her.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Kim Kardashian Bought Princess Diana's Amethyst Cross for $200k, And Now It's an Amazing Meme
I'm sorry for laughing.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince William Adorably Reacted to Being Told He and Princess Kate Were Matching During a Recent Engagement
Cuties.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry Needed a Drink—Or Two—Following the Release of 'Spare'
Fair enough.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry Hilariously Admits to Fact-Checking 'The Crown' on 'Colbert'
LOL, love this.
By Iris Goldsztajn