Meghan Markle’s Fame ‘Made Kate Middleton and Prince William Jealous’
The Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly envious of Meghan Markle's initial star appeal.
July 30 2024, Published 2:20 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle was a star when she first joined the British royal family, which reportedly caused some explosive moments between Prince William and Kate, then-Duchess of Cambridge.
"At first, public reaction to Meghan was overwhelmingly positive, with 'the new kids on the block' hogging most of the headlines — to the point that William and Catherine may have unconsciously raised their game," royal author Robert Jobson wrote in his new book Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen. "There were whispers of pettiness, even jealousy."
Prince William and Kate, then-Duchess of Cambridge reportedly had a 'difficult time' adjusting to Meghan Markle's personality.
"Cracks between the two couples continued to widen — with the help of petty slights, whether imagined or otherwise," he added.
This follows recent reports showcasing just how severe the rift between the millennial royal couples has become today.
"Make no mistake, William is keeping Kate and his family well away from Meghan and Harry," former royal butler to Diana, Princess of Wales, Paul Burrell told an outlet. "The door of Adelaide Cottage is shut, and there is no way in for Harry and Meghan. William knows that Harry can’t be trusted and doesn’t want any more upset in his family."
Burrell worked for the late princess from 1987 to 1997, after her tragic death. During this time as her assistant, the bestselling author also helped look after a young William and Harry, who both later criticized Burrell for writing a book about their mother in the early 2000s. Now it would seem that the future king may agree with some of the ex-royal aide's criticisms about the Duke of Sussex.
'Prince William and Kate do not need to perform,' a former royal aide stated when comparing the regal couple to Meghan Markle in 2022.
Burrell went on to say that His Royal Highness only considers Harry as "background noise" at this point and is likely OK with never speaking to him ever again due to what he wrote about him in Spare. In the tome, the fiery-haired prince joked about his elder brother's "bald head" and accused him of assaulting him in 2019, among many other disparaging excerpts.
The one-time butler also said the monarch-in-waiting would "explode" if Harry ever said anything negative about the Princess of Wales during a theoretical in-person meeting. He also shared how William is now the Prince Philip of the monarchy and "rules the family" due to King Charles III's busy schedule as head of state.
The Duke of Sussex and his wife, Meghan Markle, blamed the British press for the couple's decision to leave The Firm in January 2020.
In a recent conversation about the rift, veteran royal author Ingrid Seward shared: "William is sensitive, he likes structure and has perseverance. He does not give up easily. His relationship with brother Harry upset him more than he would care to admit. But he found it easier to cut ties rather than allow himself to be continually annoyed."
Prince Harry was asked about Kate Middleton and King Charles' cancer battles in a February 2024 interview, where he expressed sympathy.
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Marie Claire reported on the excerpts from Jobson's book.
