Duelling duchesses were ‘never friends’

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle were ‘not the best of friends’ and tensions between the ‘duelling duchesses’ were high after the Sussexes moved to Windsor, according to sensational biography Finding Freedom.  

Meghan and Harry announced they would base their family in Frogmore Cottage amid speculation that the rift between the brothers and the wives widened further after the Royal wedding in 2018. 

The Duchess of Sussex then added fuel to the fire by admitting that she and Kate had never really warmed to each other and spent barely any time with each other before Harry and Meghan moved to Canada.

Extracts from Finding Freedom, the biography serialised in the Times and Sunday Times, reveal  one awkward moment took place at Kensington Palace, when Meghan was dating Harry, and Kate was planning a shopping trip. Meghan was going to the same street, but Kate insisted on going alone in her own Range Rover.  

Excerpts of the hotly anticipated book lift the lid on the Sussexes’ exit from The Firm – but palace sources fear its account of Harry and Meghan’s grievances will make their rift with the Royals worse.  

In other explosive revelations revealed in the excerpts tonight: 

  • Duchess of Sussex thought some commentary and tabloid stories in the UK were ‘sexist and prejudiced’;
  • Meghan felt that ambitious women of colour like her were labelled ‘demanding’ or ‘aggressive’ in media;
  • Senior courtiers described Meghan Markle as ‘Harry’s showgirl’ when they first started dating; 
  • One aide said she ‘comes with a lot of a baggage’ while another said ‘there’s something about her I don’t trust’.

The Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchcess of Sussex pictured in the Royal Box on Centre Court at Wimbledon last July

A new book questions whether the two duchesses, pictured at the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham in 2018 were ever particularly close

A new book questions whether the two duchesses, pictured at the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham in 2018 were ever particularly close

Both Kate and Meghan enjoy tennis and look relaxed arriving at Wimbledon in July 2018

Both Kate and Meghan enjoy tennis and look relaxed arriving at Wimbledon in July 2018 

Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, has been written by royal watchers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, described as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's 'cheerleaders'

Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, has been written by royal watchers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, described as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s ‘cheerleaders’

According to authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, Harry thought William was a ‘snob’ after his brother warned him to take things slow with Meghan Markle as a royal courtier called the actress ‘Harry’s showgirl’.

The Duke of Cambridge told Harry not to ‘rush this’ and ‘take as much time as you need to get to know this girl’ amid fears the younger brother was being ‘blindsided by lust’ for the American actress. 

Sources claim ‘calm and rational’ William only met Meghan a handful of times before she married Harry, who ‘can’t help but take things far too personally’, and wanted to make sure the Suits star had the right intentions. 

But the Duke of Sussex was ‘p****d off’ with his older brother and ‘could see through’ his words, thinking him judgemental and condescending and ultimately ‘being a snob’. 

A source told authors Scobie and Durand that Harry bristled when William warned him: ‘Don’t feel you need to rush this. Take as much time as you need to get to know this girl.’ 

‘After all, these are two brothers that have spent their whole lives with people trying to take advantage of them,’ the source said. ‘They’ve both developed a radar to detect that type of person, but as William didn’t know a whole lot about Meghan, he wanted to make sure Harry wasn’t blindsided by lust.’ 

Another source claimed:  ‘Harry was pissed off. Pissed off that his brother would ask such a thing. 

‘Some felt it was an overreaction. But then, this sums them up as people – William, the calm and rational one, and Harry, who can’t help but take things far too personally.’  

When Harry and Meghan first started dating, a senior royal referred to the actress as ‘Harry’s showgirl’, while another told an aide ‘she comes with a lot of baggage’.

A high-ranking courtier was even overheard telling a colleague: ‘There’s just something about her I don’t trust’.  

A close friend of Harry’s claimed the duke was ‘aware of the talk’, adding. ‘He’s extremely protective of Meghan. He understands that a lot of people are against them, and he will do everything he can to keep her safe and away from getting hurt – even if that means distancing himself from those people.’  

The biography is written by journalists Scobie and Durand, who are fans of the couple and have set out to ‘correct the record’ and shift the spotlight on to their charitable ventures.

The Sussexes say they did not contribute to the book, but Scobie and Durand’s account is based on extensive insight from friends of the couple.  

Harry and Meghan’s friends attack Royals’ behaviour at last public appearances: New book claims Kate ‘barely acknowledged’ Meghan while William ignored her, and describe ‘cordial but distant’ polo day out 

The Duchess of Cambridge snubbed Meghan Markle during the Sussex’s final royal engagement on Commonwealth Day, while one stand-offish episode at a charity polo match was a snapshot of the pair’s ‘cordial but distant rapport,’ the authors of an explosive new book have claimed.

Finding Freedom is a biography written by journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, who are fans of the couple and have set out to ‘correct the record’ and shift the spotlight on to their charitable ventures.

The authors claim the Duchess of Sussex and Kate stood next to each other but ‘barely exchanged a word’ at a charity polo match in July 2019, while Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate at the Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey in March, but the duchess ‘barely acknowledged her.’ 

The Sussexes say they did not contribute to the book, but Scobie and Durand’s account is based on extensive insight from friends of the couple. 

The Duchess of Cambridge snubbed Meghan Markle during the Sussex's final royal engagement on Commonwealth Day, the authors of an explosive new book has claimed. Pictured, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Commonwealth Day Service, Westminster Abbey, London on 9 March 2020

The Duchess of Cambridge snubbed Meghan Markle during the Sussex’s final royal engagement on Commonwealth Day, the authors of an explosive new book has claimed. Pictured, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Commonwealth Day Service, Westminster Abbey, London on 9 March 2020

Finding Freedom claims the doting mothers were photographed next to each other with their children, but they 'appeared to barely exchange a word.' Pictured, the Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Sussex and Archie at the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day, Billingbear Polo Club, Wokingham on 10 July 2019

Finding Freedom claims the doting mothers were photographed next to each other with their children, but they ‘appeared to barely exchange a word.’ Pictured, the Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Sussex and Archie at the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day, Billingbear Polo Club, Wokingham on 10 July 2019

KING POWER ROYAL CHARITY POLO DAY – 10 JULY 2019

Relations were said to be fraught between the princes’ wives from the inception of Meghan’s entry into the monarchy.

But one stand-offish episode at a charity polo match was a snapshot of Meghan and Kate’s ‘cordial but distant rapport,’ the book claimed.   

The Duchesses put in a surprise appearance to watch Prince William and Prince Harry go head-to-head in the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day, held in honour of late Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha on July 10 2019. 

It marked the first time the Sussexes and the Cambridges had been seen together as families since Archie’s birth.

It was also a rare joint appearance for Meghan and Kate, who are typically only seen together at official engagements attended by the entire royal family, such as Trooping the Colour.

But their relationship had reportedly struggled to move past the distant politeness of when they first met, according to the new explosive biography. 

‘While the doting mothers were photographed next to each other with their children, the two appeared to barely exchange a word,’ the authors penned.    

The book went on to claim that the signs of the tense relationship between the woman derived from the main issue at play – the conflict between Prince Harry and the institution. 

According to the book, Kate and Meghan’s relationship had struggled to move past the distant politeness of when they first met. Pictured, at the polo

The book claimed that the signs of the tense relationship between Kate and Meghan derived from the main issue at play - the conflict between Prince Harry and the institution. Pictured, at the charity polo match

The book claimed that the signs of the tense relationship between Kate and Meghan derived from the main issue at play – the conflict between Prince Harry and the institution. Pictured, at the charity polo match

William and Kate allegedly only turned to chat with Prince Edward and Sophie, next to the Sussexes at the Commonwealth Day service (pictured)

William and Kate allegedly only turned to chat with Prince Edward and Sophie, next to the Sussexes at the Commonwealth Day service (pictured)

They wrote: ‘Harry likened his meetings throughout the week to standing in front of a firing squad. “There was a lot of finger pointing in both directions with things leaking,” an aide said. “It was all very unhealthy.” 

COMMONWEALTH DAY SERVICE AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY – 9 MARCH 2020 

The book claims the couples hardly spoke at the Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey despite not having seen each other since January – and that the Duchess of Cambridge snubbed Meghan during the Sussex’s final royal engagement. 

Omid Scobie, who wrote the book, Finding Freedom, told The Times during the Commonwealth Day engagement: ‘Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate, the duchess barely acknowledged her.

‘To purposefully snub your sister-in-law . . . I don’t think it left a great taste in the couple’s mouths.’

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex was not part of the Queen’s procession through Westminster Abbey at the start of the Commonwealth Service as they made their final official appearance as senior royals on 9 March 2020. 

Unlike the previous year, Harry and Meghan were conducted to their seats at the church in London, rather than waiting for the Queen’s arrival and walking through with the monarch and key royals as they did in March 2019. 

The book claims the decision to remove them from the line up had been made ‘without their consultation’ – adding that they were informed long after the 2,000 orders of service had been printed for guests – with their names notably absent. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex was not part of the Queen's procession through Westminster Abbey at the start of the Commonwealth Service as they made their final official appearance as senior royals on 9 March 2020 (pictured)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex was not part of the Queen’s procession through Westminster Abbey at the start of the Commonwealth Service as they made their final official appearance as senior royals on 9 March 2020 (pictured)

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, Prince William, Meghan, Prince Charles, Kate and Camilla leave Westminster Abbey last year after attending the Commonwealth Day service at the church in London on March 11, 2019

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, Prince William, Meghan, Prince Charles, Kate and Camilla leave Westminster Abbey last year after attending the Commonwealth Day service at the church in London on March 11, 2019

Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, has been written by royal watchers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, described as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's 'cheerleaders'

Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, has been written by royal watchers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, described as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s ‘cheerleaders’

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walked in ahead of Prince William and Kate Middleton – which marked the first public meeting of the two brothers and their wives since Megxit was announced two months prior – before Prince Charles and Camilla also arrived and the Queen then made an entrance to trumpet fanfare and cheers from crowds outside. 

‘It felt intentional. “Harry was more than disappointed,” a friend said, speaking in the book. “He spoke up, but the damage had already been done.”

While the Cambridges took their seats at the same time as the Sussexes and the Earl and Countess of Wessex in a bid to ‘smooth things over’, the authors claim that the looks given indicated that the Cambridges were ‘unhappy’ with that decision.

They wrote: ‘While Harry and Meghan both greeted William and Kate with smiles, the Cambridges showed little response.

‘”Harry,” William nodded, ignoring Meghan. For the minutes before the Queen’s arrival, William and Kate sat with their backs to the couple, only turning around to chat with Prince Edward and Sophie, next to the Sussexes.’

They added that while Meghan ‘tried to make eye contact’ with Kate, the mother-of-three ‘barely acknowledged her.’ 

The Queen, Prince Harry, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Sussex and the Duchess of Cornwall at the service

The Queen, Prince Harry, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Sussex and the Duchess of Cornwall at the service

Prince Harry sat beside his wife Meghan as she chat with Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (right) at Westminster Abbey

Prince Harry sat beside his wife Meghan as she chat with Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (right) at Westminster Abbey

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