Rumors About Kate Middleton That Hurt Her Good Girl Persona

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Princess Catherine went from the unknown plebeian girlfriend of Prince William to the most popular member of the royal family in a matter of years. Even though she has no aristocratic background, the Princess of Wales behaves as if she were born for the throne. Kate Middleton is reserved, professional, and gossip-averse, traits that have earned her a special place in Britons' hearts. But, as hard as she tries, Kate hasn't been immune from rumors and hearsay, some of which challenge the public perception that she can do no wrong.

From some questionable behavior in the behind-the-scenes of her relationship with Meghan Markle to supposedly disrespecting Queen Camilla in public, Kate might have another side behind the good-girl persona we know her to be. What no one can say is that she doesn't take her role seriously. Perhaps that's why she isn't afraid to stand up to others behind closed doors. After all, Kate fought hard to be where she is — or so they say. When she was younger, Kate and Pippa Middleton were called the Wisteria sisters for their rumored social climbing aspirations.

Her ambitions even reportedly created tension with her young sister. "Kate was always quite jealous of Pippa. I sensed that she feared being eclipsed by her, because Pippa has more natural effervescence, is socially much more at ease and was always popular with everyone," a source told The Scotsman in 2008. Kate has proven she has what it takes to be queen, and that includes being a bit ruthless sometimes. 

When Pippa Middleton and James Matthews married in May 2017, news of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's relationship had been out of the bag for just a few months. Naturally, interest in the new couple was at its peak. Princess Catherine and her family reportedly didn't like that — so much so that they sought to prevent Meghan from attending altogether. "They feared Meghan's first public appearance with Prince Harry would overshadow the bride's big day," a source told The U.K. Sun.

Considering that The U.K. Sun ran a cover headlined "It's Meghan v. Pippa in the Wedding of the Rears" ahead of the nuptials, their concerns weren't unfounded. It's unclear how the negotiations unfolded, but Meghan skipped the ceremony and attended the reception held at the Middleton home. Some claimed it was the now-Duchess of Sussex and Duke of Sussex who made the decision. "Right now Harry and Meghan are leaning towards not wanting to attract extra attention, especially on a day that's not about them," an insider told E! News.

We don't know if that's entirely true, as the Middletons seemingly still tried to prevent them from drawing attention. In a move seen by some as controversial, Pippa determined that couples shouldn't sit together at the reception. Meghan wound up next to Roger Federer's wife, Mirka, and Harry sat with ITV journalist Tom Bradby. Like that, the Middletons effectively curtailed the chances for Meghan and Harry to make headlines, even if they couldn't avoid them. 

Princess Catherine may adhere to the royal family's strategy to "never complain, never explain" in front of the cameras, but she reportedly leaves the motto at the door. Amid Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's feud, the former isn't afraid to express her dislike for the latter — at least in private. According to royal author Omid Scobie, the Princess of Wales "jokingly shivers" whenever she hears her sister-in-law's name, he wrote in his controversial 2023 book "Endgame."

He also claimed Kate Middleton was "cold" toward Meghan from the beginning, suggesting she never gave her a chance. Kate's own friend confirmed that she rolled her eyes at the mention of Meghan. But the friend asserted that she never speaks ill of her in front of them, according to a 2022 profile in The Times. While Kate tries to keep her feelings from the public, she seemingly can't always hide them. That became clear during Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022. 

Kate was captured on camera taking a firm stance toward Meghan while giving her a stern look. Meghan's reaction to Kate's body language didn't leave room for doubts. The Duchess of Sussex turned away, visibly uncomfortable. Prince Harry immediately put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her toward him in a protective gesture. This wasn't the only time she lost her composure in public. In 2021, she rolled her eyes when a girl inquired about Harry and Meghan during a visit to a school. 

No one but the bride can wear white at weddings. It's an unwritten rule that has been around since Queen Victoria popularized the white wedding dress in 1840. Princess Catherine surely knows that, which is why social media users conjectured that she deliberately wore a white dress to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding out of spite. "After Kate Middleton couldn't control Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding by throwing tantrum, using her daughter and making demands, she decided to show up to the wedding dressed in White," a netizen argued on X, referring to Kate and Meghan's infamous wedding feud involving Princess Charlotte's dress.

Prince William and Harry's relationship was already strained leading up to the nuptials, with the younger prince claiming his brother got physical with him after calling Meghan "difficult", "rude," and "abrasive" in his 2023 memoir, "Spare" (via The Guardian). That fueled the rumors that Kate was out to hurt Meghan at the wedding. However, Kensington Palace denied that she wore white at all. "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge will be wearing a primrose yellow wool silk tailored coat by Alexander McQueen," it said in a statement (via The Standard).

Social media users still found it inappropriate, given that it looked pretty darn white (as seen above). "Ok it's yellow but it's very close to white and appears white in photos and I think it's just wrong," one person argued on TikTok. 

If the rumors are true, then Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding wasn't the only time Princess Catherine got into a feud with a high-ranking royal ahead of a big event. Leading up to King Charles III's coronation in May 2023, the Princess of Wales reportedly had an altercation with Queen Camilla over the guest list after a limit was placed on the number of family members she could invite. "Camilla brought 20 Parker Bowleses to the coronation; there were four Middletons," royal author Tom Bower said on "Dan Wootton Tonight."

Kate Middleton's siblings, James and Pippa Middleton, weren't allowed to bring their spouses, for example. The day may have been about Camilla and Charles, but the princess was seething nonetheless and reportedly wanted her stepmother-in-law to know. That's why she refused to bow and curtsy when Camilla walked down Westminster Abbey after being crowned. "[Kate may] project an easygoing public image, handling difficult situations and people without a misstep," a source told Radar. "But behind her dazzling smile, she's no pushover, especially when it comes to royal politics."

Kate's feelings were reportedly contagious. "That anger went right through that small part of the congregation by the throne, at the center of Westminster Abbey," Bower contended. Those sitting around Kate and Prince William also wanted to send their message across. "Everyone bows and curtsies to the king, and no one moves a limb, a muscle, when Camilla passes. And that was because they were angry with Camilla," he said.

A young prince meets a pretty girl at university, falls in love, and lives happily ever after. Except the pretty girl knew exactly what she was doing — or that's what the rumors say. The rumor that Princess Catherine methodically planned her meeting with Prince William has been written into history thanks to Netflix weaving the plot into Season 6 of "The Crown." But the theory had been around for years before then. The fact is that Kate rejected a spot at the prestigious University of Edinburgh to attend the University of St. Andrews, a decision she made shortly after William announced he would be joining the latter.

That's not all, though. Being a year ahead of him, Kate took a gap year and ended up in his class upon returning. During that hiatus, she also happened to go on a volunteering trip to Chile, where William had just been. She didn't stop there. Kate initially studied psychology in college but changed her major to art history, which — you guessed it — was William's major as well. According to some, none of it was accidental. "Kate was very strategic," "The Crown" historian Robert Lacey told Elle in 2020.

Kate reportedly didn't act alone. Her mother, Carole Middleton, is said to have plotted Kate's wedding to William. "[The Middletons] began orchestrating her life, ensuring she was at the right places at the right time and spoke the right way," royal author Omid Scobie wrote in "Endgame" (via Express).