The debate will continue to rage on and on about Meghan Markle and the Duchess of Cambridge. Comparisons will be made, theories will be floated about whether they get along, and they will hopefully feel competitive with one another. I mean “competitive” in a good way, as in it is my hope that they try to “outdo” each other with work and fashion. I truly have no idea if Kate likes Meghan or if they secretly get along – my guess is that Kate is mostly okay with Meghan on a personal level but Meghan makes her nervous. Kate has been pretty extra ever since Meg and Harry’s engagement was announced – suddenly, Kate wanted to be seen like never before, as if she was publicly staking her position in the family. Anyway, People Magazine has an interesting story about how Meghan and Kate get along. Suspicious!
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are poised to become sisters-in-law in May — but they have already begun leaning on each other.
“I’m sure Kate will do all she can to help Meghan,” a source in Kate’s hometown of Bucklebury tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story, while noting that in the early years of her romance with Prince William, Kate herself was mentored by Queen Elizabeth. “She had audiences with Queen Elizabeth quite often and was taught to behave like a future Queen.”
Unlike Kate, whose husband is second in the immediate line of succession, Meghan has ample breathing room between herself and the throne: Prince Harry will downshift to sixth in line with the arrival of William and Kate’s third baby in April.
Meghan, who will be learning on the job, “is funny and serious and extremely hard-working,” says a source close to the former Suits star. “I can imagine Kate will find a great friend in her.”
By the time Meghan met Harry in July 2016, she had an established career as an actress and had been through 2013 divorce from producer Trevor Engelson.
“Meghan is far more worldly and sophisticated than Kate was when she arrived on the scene,” says royal biographer Ingrid Seward. “She was in one of the toughest businesses in the world and did well in it. She’s a divorcée and had some of the ups and downs in life. Kate has lived a rather charmed existence.”
I’m not sure I would describe Kate’s pre-duchess life as “charmed.” What comes to mind when thinking of Kate’s adult life is “parochial” and “narrowly focused.” She wanted the ring. She waited for the ring for a decade. She got the ring. That’s the extent of her life experience. Also: it’s total bullsh-t that the Queen personally mentored Kate during the Waity Years. I hate how all of that history is being rewritten. The Queen had barely met Kate before the engagement. The Queen thought Kate should get a job during the Waity years. The Queen basically forced William to either dump Kate or propose because William wanted to just live with Kate on the air force base and the Queen said he couldn’t live with his girlfriend on military property. People always forget that.
As for Meghan being worldly and sophisticated… she is, but Ingrid Seward is using those terms as some kind of code for “she’s been around the block, she’s a crass American divorcee!” So, at the end of the day, will Kate and Meghan get along? We’ll see.
Photos courtesy of WENN, cover courtesy of People.
Eeep, if I were Meghan I would NOT be taking my cues from Kate…she has had more than her share of missteps…many years into this role she very often appears utterly out of place and clueless.
Meghan on the other hand appears to be taking to her role like a duck to water – perhaps she is media trained to within an inch of her life, but with exception of that ridiculous dress faux pas I think shes far better versed in being a professional and an adult than her future sister in law.
Yeah no, Meghan doesn’t need tips from Kate. If anything, Sophie may be a good ‘mentor’.
So far Meghan has had a Pounds 60.000 dress for her engagement pics and a collection of camel and beige clothes going with very very messy hair. I really wouldn’t call that “taking to her role like a duck to water”.
I find this messy hair thing very Racist. She is a mixed raced woman surrounded by people that don’t know how to deal with her hair. This is that soft bigotry of white hair being considered professional and woc are forced to conform. I would rather messy hair than no hair from over processing.
The dress, do you know for a fact it cost that much or that she even bought it?
IMO it’s not a racist comment. Her hair WAS messy. Literally the style is called a” messy bun”. The texture does not matter at all. It was poorly pinned. A chignon or a tight bun would have been more appropriate.
Amy get a grip. Her hair is relaxed meaning all you have to do is run a straightener over it, it’s not rocket science and I’m sure Meghan does it herself most days with the occasional professional blowout. Her hair frequently is messy and it’s not accidental, it’s part of her cool Cali girl esthetic that’s not quite right for a member of the BRF.
@amy
No, they don’t know about the dress but insist they do no matter what has been said about it. What something is worth is one thing but what someone paid or didn’t is quite another.
Her hair is trendy and entirely appropriate for BRF 2018.
I don’t know if it is racist but if a WOC says it is I believe it.
Clothes and hair? Is THAT all you judge women on, in this day and age?!
Ok, I will give you judging Kate by those standards, because clothes and hair are all Kate ever offered to the public. But if Megan is well spoken, willing to do charity work, and be a good P.R. piece for the monarchy, that’s a huge step up for the royal family.
I find this to be one of the biggest issues behind making excuses for Kate’s slowly “getting it” when it comes to her new role. In their engagement interviews William said their dating period was so long because he wanted to make sure she knew what she was in for and was well-prepared. Now, we have (rewritten) stories of The Queen mentoring her. Yet, if she makes unnecessary mistakes (like hems repeatedly flying up, awful speeches), all of a sudden she’s brand new. They try to have it both ways.
This is the Middletons/ Kensington palace realizing that Kate probably needs to ride Meghans coat tails like William does with Harry. You know “The Royal Foundation of Harry and Meghan doing all the work and Will and Kate taking all the credit.”
This. Wasn’t she supposed to hit the ground running? Kate unveils a new work ethic every six months.
Kate is still learning and is seven years into this. And many use her third pregnancy as another reason not to step up. Because I guess pregnant women simply put their lives on hold once the stick turns blue. Oh wait, that’s just her.
Of course Kate’s had a “charmed life”. Went to best schools (whether she enjoyed academics or not), lived a quite luxurious life before marriage for years *without* having to make ends meet, like never. With a pretty fab family life with her parents and siblings. Like the low end two digit percent of Europeans. No real life/real world experience by any means whatsoever. Of course she’s lived a “charmed life”.
That’s why I’m a bit ambivalent about how they’ll all of a sudden become best friends. What on earth (other than the brothers) do they have in common? I’m sure they will do fine in public (as do I with my s-i-l) but in private they will struggle to find a common experience to pull them together. And it will take just one small thing for a wedge to develop, Kate does not strike me as the forgive and forget type.
I actually think they get along fine. Pretty sure Meghan has spent more time with Will and Kate than we know about. Anyways just like the weird stories about how will and harry don’t get along (which makes no sense from what we see) I think Kate is fine but like you said stepping it up.
If anyone is super threatened it’s Kate’s family. I feel like they are more threatened by the presence of Meghan than Kate is
I kind of believe that William and Harry don’t get along — I mean Harry has routinely been thrown under the bus to distract from William’s foibles.
Harry and William have emphasized their closeness in a million interviews. They’ve stressed how much they rely on one another and it’s clear they spend unofficial time together. Spares have been sacrificed to the heir for centuries. William benefits from it but he didn’t invent it.
Except that’s not Will that’s the BRF? From everything we know about them they have a good relationship. Will looked after harry when their mother passed. I don’t think they would be speaking about each other the way they do if harry wasnt close to his brother.
Harry publicly admitted at the time of the engagement “I’m looking forward to getting to know her”. Showcasing how little time he had spent with KM during the previous decade. They may be closer now, may grow closer in the future, or further apart. William has made it clear the Middletons are his main family.
When asked about baby Cambridge #3. He was like “I don’t know her.” i mean i haven’t seen her even though they did a diana engagement together like the day before.
It’s clear to me from all the interviews we’ve seen that the brothers are close and love one another very much. They may have different circles of friends (as siblings are wont to do), but I’ve just never seen any evidence that there’s anything between them other than friendship and love.
They also share a lot of back and forth banter between them, which is maybe a very British thing (?)………. Do people maybe interpret this as genuine ill-will?
@ Amy
Do you have a link for this please?
I think they are the only people who understand the life they have lived. That brings a certain type of closeness. As for hanging out with each other constantly and spending lots of time together? No. They didn’t for the 10 years W&K were dating. Then W&K moved to Anmer full-time (when they weren’t living with the Middletons) and Harry was in London.
At an engagement Sept 4th, right after news of KM expecting again came out.
“I haven’t seen her for a while, but I think she’s OK.”
@ bellagio “I dont know her” is a Jk. It obviously didn’t translate
There was an interview where he had to cover up when he admitted he doesn’t see his nephew or niece very often. Wills has purposely separated his life from his family. Charles is very savvy when it comes to images he wants to project, and he constantly shows that he is not close to Kate. He won’t even play along and smile for the cameras.
Bellagio
Thank you!
magnoliarose
*waves* formerly Enough Already 🙂
I think they’ll get along just fine. Nothing to see here, folks.
I agree! But both Kate-haters and Meghan-haters would like there to be a bad relationship.
Except all the articles with the low key stabs on meghan. Like “meghan loves attention and kate is shy”. Whatever Kate was parading herself in her underwear that’s how she got Will. I’ve also seen the kate and meghan are the new diana and fergie.
1. Kate is lazy and diana was a work horse
2.Meghan/kate understands PR and can carry themselves better than fergie
This is another attempt to put down Meghan and lift Kate. Since their 1st attempt didn’t work.
I agree, why would Harry and Meg have spent the holidays with Will and Kate? If they didn’t get along Harry would have surely made accommodations elsewhere for them. I think this is a bunch of made up gossip.
Spent the holidays together then the Middletons leaked their planned new year’s trip to give them bad PR.
I think Kate and Meghan (horrors!) probably like each other. I know some people would prefer cat fights.
Amen.
I totally buy that they get along and Kate would want to cultivate her as an ally. It’s a tough family and if they can lean on each other at times, then great! I sensed that at the Christmas service…Kate did genuinely seem to be looking out for her.
My theory is that Kate really prefers Henry and is a bit jealous. Meghan has it made, she is marrying the better-looking nicer brother, has the fame, but less pressure.
Oh, get out of here. Kate adores William. That is one thing that is very clear. And she has a great brother-in-law she’s known for years and enjoys. Shocker!
Harry works to put people around him at ease, including Kate. William often ignores his wife, even in public. Harry seems an easier personality to be around in general.
I don’t mean that in a, “She wishes she married Harry” way. She wanted The Prince, the status, the money, of being married to the (potential) future king. But overall, she often appears more relaxed at public engagements when Harry is there than when she is with her husband. Harry works to put people at ease, William expects people to dance to his tune and make him feel at ease.
I think they will get along just fine. Kate may be a little nervous these first few months/years as Meghan is the “new star” of the royal family, but Kate will be Princess of Wales and then queen. she doesn’t need to “stake” her position really.
Let’s just enjoy Ingrid Seward backpeddle from “Meghan the crass American with bad table manners” to “Meghan the worldly sophisticate” so she can put her on her magazine covers.
I don’t know who ingrid is but this comment made me laugh because i can imagine the back peddling from several outlets in the coming years
Penny Junor also gave an interview claiming that Meghan was perfect for Harry. Lots of backpedaling there. Probably plans to write a book.
Oh, they’ll both be getting books out of this. And making money no matter how many back-handed “compliments” they write.
Was it Ingrid or Penny that printed Harry had bad table manners and that is one of the reasons the Middleton’s struggled to accept him. Lol
Harry is so uncouth, the poor Middletons…
Sage: Neither. It was Katie Nichols.
Ingrid and Penny would NEVER ever write anything negative about a blood royal. Penny’s book on Harry is so complimentary it makes my teeth ache. And Ingrid always denigrates the non royal person. Always. Even when presented with evidence to the contrary.
Kate has upped her game since the engagement, but a lot of that is probably also trying to get her numbers up before she has the baby. Hopefully they’ll get along. If Meghan manages to light a fire under either of the Cambridges’ butts, so much the better.
I hope they do get along. Family jealousies and strife are never pleasant and William and Harry always seem close so it would be nice if their wives were friends.
That said, Kate is hardly suitable to be a mentor for any fledgling royal as she struggles with most aspects of the role herself. Camilla and/or Sophie would be better placed to support Meghan.
Sophie would excellent. To be honest, Camilla would be great also but I just don’t find her likeable.It has more to do with her hit and run coverup than the tiresome Diana stuff.
hit and run cover up? Do tell
Camillawas involved in a car crash while traveling to Highgrove, supposedly speeding. The other driver was pinned in her car. Instead of checking on the other driver or calling the police Camilla walked some distance from the crash site and called Charles. His PO detail arrived and the police were going to charge Camilla with leaving the scene of an accident. The other driver was only slightly injured but was initially furious at Camilla’s neglect. Camilla told the investigators that she called Charles first because she was concerned about his PR. The other driver agreed to a settlement and the whole thing sort of went away. I think it speaks volumes about Camilla’s character. Had the other driver been seriously injured the outcome could have been different for Camilla.
Sure, Jason.
We allowed to talk about how Kate is always presented in the Kaye narrative? No?
simple. It’s “The Royal foundation of Harry and Meghan doing all the work and William and Kate taking all the credit.”
Those pearl drops!!! Gorgeous.
More Markle, please.
I’m sure they get along fine, but this idea that they are/ will be besties strikes me as tabloid fan fiction. I laughed at the “Bucklebury source,” hey there Carole! This story is a more obvious PR plant than normal, she’s not normally this clumsy lol.
Same here. I am sure they will be polite to each other when they interact but they are both 36 and already have their own friends. (Well in Kate’s case her sister and William’s friends). Women in their 30s don’t just suddenly make new BFFs like girls do in grade school. And it’s dumb PR from Jason and really clumsy.. the Queen has better things to do than mentor Kate or anyone else.
It’s a total Pr plant. The want to tear Meghan down but they 1st have to make Kate popular in the US, to mitigate the push back hence the Diana, Fergie spin. The keens just need to work no spin is going to help in this new social media world.
They probably tolerate each other because they have no choice. I don’t buy that Harry and Will are super close so I’m not buying this either nice try Jason.
She needs to look to Sophie as a married-in role model for how to do the job, Anne and Charles for work ethic, Camilla because she knows how to manage Charles. Great if she were to have meetings (or “teas” as they did with Charles) with Duke & Duchess of Gloucester, Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra to get more advice. Duchess of Kent too, who can give her advice on surviving the whole show.
Show up, show up a lot, be prepared, and go about things quietly. Hoping that once the initial interest dies down, that’s what she does. Put your head down and get to work.
Are Duke and Duchess of Kent still together? I thought they split years ago.
I think they are still technically married but live apart?
Considering the revised title, i think they quietly split many years ago, but haven’t done the final decree absolut.
They did split in the late 1970s but were forbidden to divorce by HM. Duchess of Kent has lived in Yorkshire for years volunteering as a music teacher, while he lives in London at KP and continues to do royal duties. She’s a good one for Meghan to turn to for advice on how to survive being part of this show.
Duchess of Kent has turned up on some royal occasions again during last few years. I thought I had read she was closer to Duke again but that could just have been news hacks.
Would Duchess have been wanting to divorce when she had just turned to Catholicism. I also thought, without checking, she had been doing her music coaching in Oxford, not Yorkshire. I thought she had a house there.
Just checked, she did do coaching at Hull, so Yorkshire where she comes from is right.