Even the sweetest members of the royal family with the most charitable hearts have bad days,
and just like other members over the years, The Duchess of Cambridge's dirty laundry has
also made headlines.
Here are some shady things you may not know about Kate Middleton.
In November 2018, a report from The Sun claimed that Meghan Markle made Middleton cry during
a bridesmaid dress fitting before Markle's wedding to Prince Harry.
In Meghan and Harry's bombshell 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey on CBS, she said that this
account of the incident was not true, adding,
"The reverse happened.
And I don't say that to be disparaging to anyone because it was a really hard week of
the wedding and she was upset about something."
Markle said Kate, quote, "owned it" and apologized, and the women had gotten over it when the
story went public months later.
Markle went on to say,
"I would hope that she would've wanted that corrected.
And maybe in the same way that the palace wouldn't let anybody else negate it, they
wouldn't let her."
Still, Markle called the way the incident was handled a "turning point" in her relationship
with Harry's family.
Royal author Katie Nicholl told OK!
Magazine that Middleton has never wanted any suggestion of a rift with Markle to come out
in the press — and to have to relive it again is, quote, "very hard" for the duchess.
This is a lot of drama over dresses, and the sisters-in-law now have a new layer to clear
up, but they're probably not going to be sipping tea together in the near future.
When royals become parents, they have a team of people to help them raise their children
as they carry out their responsibilities to the public.
But parenting under such an intense spotlight comes with a lot of scrutinies.
For example, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were criticized for taking a vacation without
their son Prince George when he was seven months old, as the Daily Mail reported.
William and Kate stayed in the capital of the Maldives in March 2013.
The trip was billed as a "second honeymoon" and the publication noted that the couple
was "accompanied by several taxpayer-funded Scotland Yard detectives."
The romantic trip took place just a month after William went on a four-day hunting holiday
in Spain with Prince Harry.
As for Kate, she had recently returned from a family holiday, with "a full group of police
bodyguards."
In a separate article, the Daily Mail reported a supposed "storm of protest."
One blogger sarcastically wrote at the time,
"Well they need a holiday – him to recover from the shooting holiday in Spain a couple
of weeks ago, and her to recover from the [...] holiday last month.
[...] I think she may even have put on a posh frock and 'worked' for a couple of hours in
between.
No wonder they’re exhausted."
Meghan and Harry put the royal family in a state of "crisis" after their interview with
Oprah, according to People magazine.
"I've got to do something for my own mental health, for my wife's, and for Archie's, as
well, because I could see where this was headed."
The couple spoke about much more than a tiff over bridesmaids dresses — including racially
insensitive questions about their son Archie's skin color from a family member.
"And you're not going to tell me who had the conversation with you."
"I think that would be very damaging to them."
Meghan also claimed she was denied help from one of the, quote, "senior people" who advises
the family — at a time when she felt she didn't want to be alive anymore.
A source told the magazine that the acting members of the royal family were angry at
Harry and Meghan after the interview.
A statement on behalf of Queen Elizabeth read, in part,
"There were genuinely mixed emotions and deep sorrow and shock there too.
[...] The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning.
While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed
by the family privately."
"I also am acutely aware of where my family stands and how scared they are."
Kate is included in all of this by association, especially because she's the only person who
was called out by name in the interview.
A source told Us Weekly that Kate "wishes she knew more" about the mental health struggles
Meghan mentioned.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
In the world of the royals, one family photo of a joyous event can cause whispers of shady
behavior among the public.
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a portrait after their son Archie's christening,
body language experts were immediately summoned to analyze the whole family's poses.
Alarmingly, expert Judi James told Daily Mail that Kate looked, quote, "ready to flee."
James added,
"With a very relaxed and jolly-looking Camilla down one end of this pose, Kate sits at the
other looking oddly self-diminished and prim, with her arms pulled into her torso and a
part-smile on her face."
Of course, the camera could've just captured a bad moment.
But Twitter users went farther, criticizing Kate for wearing the earrings that Princess
Diana wore in Harry's christening photos on a day that should've been focused on Meghan.
According to Express, one since-deleted tweet read:
"Attention seeking at a Sussex Family event.
Meghan would be roasted for this type of tacky move.
Evoking Diana's special moment with Harry at his son's Christening?
This simply wasn't [Kate's] role today."
Another user wrote that Kate should've lent the earrings to Meghan.
Who knows what Kate's intentions were, but she got off easy compared to Prince William,
who was criticized by royal fans for having a "sour" face and who James said was in, quote,
"nightclub bouncer mode."
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's staff at Kensington Palace threatened to strike
in 2016 when the charity that manages their salaries threatened a pay cut of about $5000
a year, as Today reported.
The strike threat came shortly after an upgrade to the palace that cost about $3 million.
But a former staff member told the publication that people who take the job don't do it for
the money, adding,
"There is this privilege, this idea that 'I'm working next to a royal."
To be clear, the staff members who were threatening to strike were not the ones who work most
closely with William and Kate in their personal lives, and the strike doesn't appear to have
happened.
Just because The Cambridges escaped controversy then, that doesn't mean former royal staff
members have never spilled the tea about Middleton's disposition.
Princess Diana's former butler once told 9 News,
"[Kate's] a lovely, lovely girl.
[...] She totally adores her husband, and they're devoted to each other.
But, that extra something, which you would call the 'X-factor,' the magic quality — charisma,
it's not there."
Middleton doesn't have many rivals, but if someone has made her bad side, it may be for
a good reason — like allegedly having an affair with her husband.
The Sun originally reported in 2019 that Kate told William that her friend and neighbor
Rose Hanbury was to be, quote, "phased out" of their friend group.
The publication was reportedly careful when describing Kate's reasons, but In Touch ran
a cover that explicitly stated: "William Cheats On Kate — With Her Friend."
An alleged source from the original report in The Sun said,
"It is well known that Kate and Rose have had a terrible falling out.
William wants to play peacemaker so the two couples can remain friends, given they live
so close to each other and share many mutual friends.
But Kate has been clear that she doesn't want to see them any more and wants William to
phase them out, despite their social status."
The Daily Mail reported this story was mere "gossip" and the article is no longer accessible
on The Sun's website.
As of March 2021, Middleton and her sister-in-law had reportedly not spoken "directly in over
a year," as a source told Us Weekly.
The insider went on to say,
"[Kate and Meghan] were never that close, but the reason they're not speaking is because
of the rift between Prince Harry and Prince William."
It's sad, but also understandable, considering William and Harry's feud probably isn't one
that can be patched up over a pint.
The source added,
"There is real animosity that the brothers have toward one another, and that has spilled
over to Meghan and Kate's relationship, making it very hard for them to be friends or even
friendly."
Meghan and Kate are apparently very different people, so there may not be much else to bond
over outside of being married to royal brothers.
The ladies reportedly never saw eye-to-eye when it came to day-to-day life in the palace.
Middleton's custom Alexander McQueen wedding dress is absolutely gorgeous.
It also nearly tarred the reputation of the iconic fashion brand.
Five years after the Cambridges were married, a British bridal designer, Christine Kendall,
sued Alexander McQueen for "breach of copyright," naming creative director Sarah Burton, according
to The Times.
Kendall's lawyer said her client's designs were, quote, "unfairly taken and copied."
To be fair, neither Kate nor the palace was involved in the suit, but Kendall had submitted
her designs to the palace as part of an open call for ideas.
Kendall reportedly got a thank you note from the office of Prince William and Prince Harry,
but Kate's spokesperson told The Times that The Duchess never laid eyes on the sketches
in question.
Alexander McQueen has strongly denied the allegations.
A brand rep said in a statement,
"Sarah Burton never saw any of Ms. Kendall's designs or sketches and did not know of Ms.
Kendall before Ms. Kendall got in touch with us — some 13 months after the wedding.
[...] We do not know why Ms. Kendall has raised this again, but there are no ifs, buts, or
maybes here: This claim is ridiculous."
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