Kate Middleton is reported to be “really, really upset” over the estrangement of the Royal Family with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Kate Middleton and Prince William have supported each other throughout the royal family’s ongoing disagreement with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Prince Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior members of the British Royal Family in January 2020, but there were rumors of a royal rift long before this.
Headlines indicated tension between William and Harry around the time when Harry and Meghan were engaged, as it was rumored that William had warned his little brother to slow down with the fast-moving romance.
Prince William, Prince Harry, Kate, and Meghan were popularly known as the “Fab Four” before the Sussexes made their break, frequently seen out together and clearly enjoying one another’s company.
But Harry and Meghan’s accusations of cruelty and racism within the Royal Family have broken the golden group apart.
A close insider tells PEOPLE that Kate has been “really, really upset about it all.” The friend said: “Everything with Harry and Meghan has been hugely stressful, but if anything, it’s pulled (her and William) closer together. She was upset about it because (William) was so upset. Seeing her husband so distraught was tough.”
During their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made multiple claims of mistreatment and racism during their time as working royals.
According to Prince Harry, there were “concerns and conversations about how dark (Archie’s) skin might be when he’s born.” When asked if they left the UK “because of racism,” Prince Harry said: “It was a large part of it.”
But Prince William hit back, telling reporters: “We are very much not a racist family.”
Meghan also told Oprah that contrary to press reports that she made Kate cry ahead of her wedding, in fact, the “reverse” happened. She added that the tiff was later smoothed over, stating: “It was a really hard week of the wedding and (Kate) was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologized, and she brought me flowers and a note.”
In the wake of the interview, a source told Page Six: “Kate and William feel they were hugely welcoming to Meghan and Harry. Any accusations against the monarchy are accusations against their family. It’s hurtful and they feel let down.”
“Obviously, they still love Harry and Meghan, but this interview has ruffled feathers,” they added.
Last month, during a visit to a school, Kate was asked about Meghan and Harry, to which she promptly responded with “What else?”
The insider also told the magazine that Kate is “No pushover. She has an inner strength for sure,” and added that she is “more and more impressive as time goes on. She is a focused and professional woman.”
The past year has seen another shift within the royal family as Queen Elizabeth has reduced some of her public activity amid health concerns. As a result, Kate finds herself closer than ever to the inevitable historic moment when she takes her place as Queen Catherine alongside King William.
Since leaving the UK in early 2020, Harry has only seen his brother twice. At the funeral of Prince Philip and at an unveiling of a statue of their late mother Princess Diana.
However, when OK! magazine asked Katie Nicholl, a royal expert, and author, if William and Kate would be buying Christmas gifts to send to America for Archie and Lilibet, she said: “Yes, of course. They give gifts to the whole family and that includes all of their nieces and nephews.”