Being constantly compared to another woman is something a lot of us would tire of quickly, and it seems the Duchess of Cambridge is no different.
- Kate Middleton is reportedly 'at the end of her tether' with the constant comparisons to Meghan Markle.
- According to royal experts, the Duchess of Cambridge is determined to leave the past where it belongs.
- In other royal news, here's how Prince George's official birthday portrait proves Kate is a laid-back mum.
It’s been claimed that Kate, 38, has had enough of people drawing parallels with her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex, and is keen to put an end to it.
With rumours of a rift between the women emerging soon after Meghan married Prince Harry, welcoming the former actress into the fold was not as straightforward as anyone had hoped.
Now, with Meghan, Harry and their son Archie embarking on a new life in the USA and Kate proving over lockdown that she is a ‘leader in her own right’, the mum-of-three is ready to move on and leave the past where it belongs.
Whether it’s their fashion choices or hairstyles, Kate has taken the constant comparisons between her and Meghan on the chin. But a recent Tatler article was the final straw – and the duchess is reportedly suing the publication over it.
In the article, an insider claimed that Kate failed to take Meghan under her wing and ‘show her the ropes’ when she joined the Royal Family, and hinted it was Kate’s misstep that kick-started the alleged rift between the two couples.
It also suggested that Kate feels ‘exhausted and trapped’ and is ‘furious about her larger workload’ now that the Sussexes have relocated across the pond.
William and Kate felt compelled to address the article, which led to Kensington Palace releasing a rare statement. It said, ‘This story contains a swathe of inaccuracies…which were not put to Kensington Palace prior to publication.’
The Cambridges rarely respond to news reports, so their decision to address the Tatler article and its ‘misrepresentations’ arguably speaks volumes.
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe says, ‘Kate is keen to stop comparisons between her and Meghan. It’s almost as though they want to draw a line in the sand where it’s gone a bit too far.’
It was perhaps inevitable that the two women, at least at the beginning, would be assessed alongside each other – but fast-forward a few years and the breakdown of the relationship between the Cambridges and the Sussexes has meant that, reportedly, Kate would prefer such associations to end.
Duncan adds, ‘We know William and Kate are very sensitive about comparisons with Meghan. The narrative of that falling-out between Kate and William and Harry and Meghan touches a nerve.’
While the Palace no doubt had high hopes that Meghan and Kate would both thrive in the limelight and complement each other’s work, things didn’t go to plan when even Meghan’s family waded in on the apparent rift.
After Meghan was accused of outshining Kate by announcing that she and Harry were stepping down from royal life the day before Kate’s 38th birthday, her estranged sister Samantha said, ‘Sad that she would do that on Kate’s birthday – I believe she was jealous of beautiful Kate. She could never compare – Kate is iconic, perfect queen material and lovely as a family member, especially as a mother.
Following Harry and Meghan’s shock announcement to quit their roles, the country has faced a global pandemic and lengthy lockdown. Kate and William have been visible throughout, with Kate praised for her ‘relaxed’ and ‘accessible’ nature.
According to body language expert Judi James, after her appearances from the couple’s Norfolk Anmer Hall home, Kate has become a leader in her own right.
She explains, ‘Kate’s lockdown might just have fast-tracked a very important stage in her royal role, from William’s wife to a future queen and sole operator in her own right. It’s given Kate the perfect motivation to drop some of her more formal skills and allowed some hidden strengths to emerge.’
