Kate Middleton Reportedly Taking Royal Split 'Badly'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the United Kingdom from Feb. 28 to March 9, 2020, to complete their final engagements as working members of the royal family. The two reunited with Prince William and Kate Middleton during the visit, with the former "Fab Four" convening at Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day service. It marked the first time they had been spotted together publicly since November 2019, and a video of the seemingly frosty meeting sparked speculation among fans that all is not well with the family. "I'm still chipping the ice off my phone screen!" one person tweeted about the footage, which showed the couples barely interacting.
Although the responses to the reunion are just speculation, its fair to wonder if the gossip about a rift within the family is true. And a new report suggesting Middleton is taking the royal split "badly" seems to point in the direction of yes.
Has Megxit taken a toll on Kate Middleton?
There are ongoing rumors that Kate Middleton and her new sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, don't get along. Although these rumblings have been dispelled in the past, a new report from Vanity Fair seems to suggest things have soured between the two due to the whole situation with "Megxit," a cheeky nickname for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to step down as senior royals and move to Canada. The mom-of-three's biggest issue with the change? "She, Harry and [her husband Prince] William were once such a happy trio," royal correspondent Katie Nicholl reported for Vanity Fair. "She thinks what has happened is all very sad." Nicholl continued, "To be honest, I think Kate has taken it all badly."
The report appears to make sense when you consider how close Middleton and Prince Harry once were, with a source telling the Daily Mail in 2016, "Kate has quite a different relationship with Harry than she has with William. Harry appeals to her sillier side because he is carefree, footloose and loves banter. He finds things funny about people and says so." The insider added that the Duke of Sussex "wouldn't hear a bad word about her" during their years of close friendship and that he saw her as "the big sister he never had."
It sounds like Middleton misses her brother-in-law more than anything else, which is fair given their history.
Prince Harry is supposedly suffering, too
Kate Middleton isn't the only one supposedly hurting in this mess, according to Prince Harry's close friend, polo player Nacho Figueras. The Duke of Sussex's pal participated in the ABC News documentary about Megxit, explaining how the whole process has been incredibly difficult for the new dad. "He has suffered a lot from all of the things that have happened to him. He suffers a lot from people judging him." Figueras said. "He's being a father ... a guy who is trying to protect his cub and his lioness from whatever it takes."
Another friend of Prince Harry's seconded these sentiments in an interview with Vanity Fair, telling the outlet how this has been "an emotional time for him in many ways." The pal added, "I think in many ways it's bittersweet. He's always wanted to have a regular life and to get away from the spotlight, and that's what he's doing, but it basically means walking away from his family."
It's sad to hear Prince Harry might be having a hard time leaving his family, especially when Kate Middleton is reportedly hurting, too.
This divide is difficult to mend
If Prince Harry and Kate Middleton are both hurting, it's fair to wonder why they haven't found a solution to their complicated family dynamics. The answer? It might have to do with the addition of Meghan Markle, who supposedly broke up the band. "It's not about competition, but turning their threesome into a foursome will be a daunting prospect, whoever it is," a source told the Daily Mail about the prospect of Prince Harry finding a wife. "The status quo does rather suit Kate because she can be leader of the pack — and doesn't have to accommodate a stranger. They're used to their cozy trio. It's hard to imagine anyone else joining them."
Of course, it's not exactly fair to blame Markle for everything. Middleton and Prince William could have easily welcomed the actor into their group and made her feel included to preserve their relationship with Prince Harry. This hasn't been lost on Markle, who was reportedly relieved to leave London after her short visit. "It's still weird to her that no one hugs and that everyone is so uptight, especially Kate," a source claimed to the Daily Mail. "She said it's obvious that Kate and William do not approve of their choices and that you could cut the tension with a knife. Kate barely even looked at her and their interaction was kept to a bare minimum."