The current issue of People Magazine has a cover story about how the duchesses (or “princesses” as People calls them) are getting along really well these days. That was the point of the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Sussex attending Wimbledon together. That was the purpose of it last year too, when they did the same thing – attended the women’s singles final together, only to watch Serena Williams lose in the final! History repeated itself, and last year there were stories about how Kate and Meghan had buried whatever hatchet and they were on track to becoming BFFs, etc. Then the smear campaign went into full effect last fall and winter, and then Kate and Meghan had to do this sh-t all over again, pretend to be super-close and put on a show of togetherness. And throughout it all, it’s become clear that Harry and William were the ones who had the significant falling out. But whatever, they don’t move as many magazines as Duchesses At War.

Anyway, as I said in my earlier coverage, I never thought Kate and Meghan were really “at war,” and I don’t really think they’re best friends now, nor will they ever be. I think they see each other as coworkers and occasional allies and that’s fine. That’s much better than so many alternatives. Well, People released more of their cover story and some of the quotes are interesting. Some highlights:

Meghan and Kate are in different places now than they were one year ago: While the women are now bonding over motherhood… it wasn’t long ago that the sisters-in-law were figuring out their own distinct roles. Just one year ago, the Duchess of Sussex, 37, was navigating life as a new member of the royal family and a newlywed. Meanwhile Kate, also 37, was balancing being a mother to an infant and two children under 5 along with her royal duties as a future queen.

The world wanted them to be BFFs: “There was undue pressure where the whole world wanted them to be best friends,” an insider tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. When the sisters-in-law didn’t appear to be tight companions to the outside world — both ran with their own circles of friends, and their first joint outing without their husbands didn’t come until last year’s Wimbledon appearance — they were pitted against each other.

Meghan has struggled with the bigger spotlight: As an actress, Meghan Markle grew accustomed to the spotlight. However, her royal status took being in the public eye to new — and often difficult to manage — heights. “Meghan has struggled with the intensity of the spotlight,” a source close to the royal household tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “Although she is a former actress, this is on a different level.”

[From People Magazine]

I don’t believe that Meghan has “struggled.” I would not use that word at all – I would say that there was a culture shock and there has been a period of adjustment, but it sounds like “sources” are casting Meghan as the main instigator towards all of the “privacy” stuff, and I just don’t believe that. I think Harry is the one who wants more privacy for Archie, and Harry wants to create more of a line between his family life and his public/royal life. I kind of think Meghan is more realistic than that, and she knows that no matter what, her son is going to be in the public eye.

As for Kate and Meghan’s relationship – as I said in the opening paragraphs, their joint appearances (with or without their husbands) always reveal that Meghan and Kate are doing the heavy lifting of keeping up appearances. That shows that they’re both aware of the optics and they’re both behaving professionally. I’d like to see less coverage of the duchesses’ relationship and more coverage about why Harry and William refuse to be seen together in public without their wives acting as buffers.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, cover courtesy of People.