EXCLUSIVE: Why Kate Middleton Feels 'Knifed in the Back' by King Charles as She Prepares to Be Crowned Queen
Kate Middleton has felt betrayed by King Charles ahead of becoming queen.
March 15 2026, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Kate Middleton feels "knifed in the back" by King Charles as the Princess of Wales prepares for her future role as queen – over the possible return of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Britain and the royal family.
Kate, 44, has been navigating a turbulent period within the monarchy as scrutiny intensifies following the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his past association with Jeffrey Epstein.
Kate Middleton has felt betrayed by King Charles.
Andrew has been released under investigation and has not been charged with any crime. At the same time, Prince Harry, 41, and Meghan Markle, 44, have been steadily re-emerging on the global stage after stepping down as working royals in 2020, most recently undertaking a two-day visit to Jordan where they met humanitarian organizations assisting children evacuated from conflict zones in Gaza.
According to royal insiders, Kate remains deeply uneasy about the Sussexes' growing visibility and the possibility they could return to the U.K. for engagements later this year – and over reports Harry is set for another with King Charles.
One source told us the princess has not forgotten the damage caused by Harry's memoir Spare and other public criticism of the monarchy.
Fragile Trust and Permanent Damage
The Princess of Wales worried about Harry and Meghan returning.
The insider said: "For Kate, the emotional impact of everything that was said publicly hasn't faded with time. She still feels the damage done during that period, and it's not something she believes can simply be brushed aside now that a few years have passed."
In Kate's view, when disagreements within a family are aired on a global stage, in interviews, documentaries and books, it changes things permanently.
"Once those kinds of lines have been crossed so publicly, she feels it becomes incredibly hard to rebuild trust or return to the way things were before."
The source added the Sussexes' return to the U.K., and even back into the fold of The Firm, could destabilize the royal household at an already delicate moment.
Kate feared the Sussexes’ return could destabilize the monarchy.
They added: "Kate feels that when members of the family openly criticize the monarchy on global platforms, it inevitably chips away at the public's confidence in the institution itself. From her perspective, those moments didn't just create personal tensions within the family, they also weakened the sense of unity and stability the monarchy relies on.
"With everything that is happening right now surrounding Andrew and the intense scrutiny that has brought, Kate believes the last thing the royal family needs is for old conflicts with Harry and Meghan to resurface again.
"In her mind, reopening that chapter now would only risk creating even more uncertainty and instability for the monarchy at a moment when it is already under enormous strain."
Mixed Signals From King Charles
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Insiders said the Princess of Wales expected stronger backing from King Charles.
Another source said tensions have been compounded by what Kate sees as mixed signals from King Charles, 77, about how the family should handle Harry and Meghan.
The insider said: "Kate has privately felt somewhat knifed in the back by the impression that Charles hasn't taken a stronger, more definitive stance on where the boundaries should lie with Harry and Meghan. From her point of view, the situation required a much clearer line in the sand.
"As someone who knows she will one day be queen, Kate expected stronger backing and clearer signals behind the scenes about how the family should move forward.
"Instead, she feels the approach has sometimes been too cautious, and that has left her feeling exposed at a moment when the institution is already facing enormous pressure."
Harry and Meghan's recent visit to Jordan was organized at the invitation of World Health Organization director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
During the trip, the couple met frontline medical teams and visited projects helping transport children from Gaza to Jordan for urgent treatment.
Though not an official royal tour, the visit carried many of the hallmarks of diplomatic engagement.
