EXCLUSIVE: Meghan Markle 'Filled With Rage' Over Princess Catherine's Hit First Solo Tour in 4 Years
Meghan Markle is said to have been left raging over Princess Catherine's tour.
May 15 2026, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
Catherine, Princess of Wales, has reignited tensions with Meghan Markle after winning widespread praise for what royal insiders told RadarOnline.com was a carefully choreographed display of "fashion diplomacy" during her first solo overseas tour in four years.
The 44-year-old future queen traveled to Reggio Emilia, Italy, earlier this week for her first major solo foreign engagement since 2022, using the high-profile visit to promote early childhood initiatives while showcasing a series of British fashion labels.
'Meghan Is Said to Be Absolutely Furious'
Princess Catherine recently landed in Italy.
Catherine arrived wearing a cornflower-blue Edeline Lee suit paired with a Holland Cooper blouse and Asprey handbag – prompting renewed discussion about the starkly different ways senior royal women approach clothing, celebrity, and commercial branding.
The comparisons come months after Markle, 44, faced howls of criticism during her unofficial Australian tour when outfits worn during memorial and charity visits were rapidly monetized through commission-based fashion links connected to the AI retail platform OneOff, in which she is an investor.
A source close to Markle told us: "Meghan is said to be absolutely furious about the comparisons being drawn between her and Kate because she feels the palace and royal insiders are once again using Catherine's public image to subtly undermine and embarrass her on the world stage.
"From Meghan's perspective, every time Kate steps out for one of these carefully orchestrated tours, the narrative immediately becomes about dignity, duty, and elegance, while Meghan gets painted as fame-hungry or overly commercial."
Meghan Markle's Australia Trip Backlash
Markle faced significant criticism during her unofficial tour of Australia.
The insider added, "What has especially irritated Meghan is the growing suggestion that Kate uses fashion for 'public service' while Meghan supposedly monetizes everything she touches.
"She feels that criticism is deeply unfair because she believes she's simply adapting to life outside the royal institution and building financial independence in a modern way. But she's aware that Catherine's Italy tour has reignited this image of the 'perfect future queen' quietly promoting British diplomacy while Meghan is portrayed as somebody turning royal-style appearances into business opportunities, and it has left her raging."
Another source said: "There's frustration on Meghan's side because Kate's tour has generated exactly the kind of glowing international coverage Meghan always hoped her own overseas appearances would receive.
"Instead, Meghan's Australia trip became overshadowed by conversations about affiliate links, designer labels, and commercialization, and insiders say she hates the implication that Kate somehow represents authenticity and restraint while Meghan represents celebrity branding and monetization."
The insider noted, "People around Meghan feel she can never win because Catherine is protected by the institution and automatically framed as elegant and dutiful, whereas Meghan's every move gets scrutinized through a far more cynical lens. Still, there's no question Meghan is painfully aware that Kate has managed to dominate the royal spotlight again and, in the eyes of many royal watchers, completely outclass her."
The Italy tour has generated glowing international coverage for the future queen.
A palace insider told us Catherine's Italian visit was being viewed internally as a subtle but unmistakable contrast to Markle's increasingly commercial public image.
The source said: "Kate is acutely aware that every overseas appearance instantly becomes part of a much wider global conversation about Britain, and people around her believe she approaches that responsibility with enormous discipline and caution. Within palace circles, there's a strong sense that she sees fashion as an extension of royal duty rather than personal branding."
The insider added: "There's definitely a feeling among some people close to the monarchy that Kate's tour has quietly reminded the public what traditional royal soft power is supposed to look like. The emphasis is on promoting British craftsmanship, designers, and creativity without appearing to commercially exploit the attention for personal financial gain. Some insiders believed Meghan would inevitably find the glowing reaction to Catherine frustrating because it highlights exactly the criticisms that followed her Australia appearances."
But during Markle's recent "faux royal" Australian trip with her husband, Prince Harry, critics accused the Duchess of Sussex of blurring the lines between philanthropy and influencer-style marketing after luxury outfits she wore during visits to domestic violence refuges and a memorial event were quickly linked to online retail platforms, generating commission-based revenue.
One particularly controversial appearance involved Markle wearing a reported $3,000 ensemble while meeting survivors and first responders connected to the Bondi Beach terror attacks.
'Catherine Is Very Deliberate'
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The 'Kate effect' boosted sales and global visibility for British designers.
Another royal source contrasted Catherine's approach with the backlash surrounding Markle's commercial partnerships.
The insider said, "Supporters of Kate argue that she uses clothing institutionally rather than transactionally. They see her wardrobe choices as a form of cultural diplomacy designed to direct attention back toward British industry and craftsmanship instead of toward herself as a celebrity brand."
The source added: "Inside royal circles, there's a belief that Catherine is very deliberate about ensuring the focus always returns to public service, national identity and professionalism. By contrast, critics felt Meghan's Australian appearances became overshadowed by conversations about monetization, affiliate links, and personal branding opportunities. That difference in tone is exactly why Kate's tour has generated such overwhelmingly positive coverage."
Fashion analysts note Catherine's latest wardrobe selections appeared meticulously calibrated to balance elegance, authority, and accessibility.
Her Edeline Lee "Lola" blazer retails at approximately $1,820, while the matching "Averill" trousers cost around $876. The garments were manufactured in Britain using Italian-woven fabric.
Designers have long benefited from the so-called "Kate effect," the dramatic increase in sales and international visibility generated whenever Catherine publicly wears a label.
Over recent years, she has prominently supported British-based creatives, including designer Tolu Coker, tailor Chris Kerr, and Victoria Beckham.
One fashion insider told us: "Kate understands that when she steps onto an international stage, she isn't dressing solely for herself. Every outfit becomes symbolic of British refinement, stability, and craftsmanship. That's why people around the palace believe she remains extremely careful about avoiding even the appearance of monetizing royal attention for personal commercial benefit."
