At this point in the program, I don’t think many people genuinely believe that there’s some deeply held beef between the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Sussex. Do I think Kate and Meghan are BFFs? No, I don’t. But I think they see each other as coworkers, and while there might have been some growing pains and difficulties early on, they buried the hatchet by Christmas and they have been the ones doing the heavy lifting to ensure that the two couples “get along” for the sake of the family. I believe the beef was always between the brothers, and Meghan and Kate got “blamed” for it, because it’s sexier to have a duchess-war.
Anyway, I was just reminded of this when I went through all of the photos from this year’s Trooping the Colour. It’s true that the Sussexes and Cambridges stood apart on the balcony, but Harry, Kate and Meghan all rode in the same carriage (with Camilla), and for what it’s worth, the photos of Kate and Meghan interacting were kind of lovely. Kate and Meghan smiling genuinely at each other, Meghan on the balcony looking down at George and Charlotte affectionately (and Kate beaming too). I’ll buy that William and Harry are still beefing – especially given the “let’s exile the Sussexes to Africa” story was not even two months ago – but the duchess-beef isn’t a thing anymore, if it ever was.
Now, do I believe that this is the end of minor passive-aggressive social media moves and event-scheduling drama? Of course not. But that’s fun stuff. And as we’ve seen over the past year and a half, Meghan has done what no one else could do: she got William and Kate to work consistently and be truly KEEN. The competition is good for both couples.
Also: some “body language expert” is trying to sell a story about how Kate and Meghan were showing a lot of “tension” with each other. That’s why I wrote this story, my take on the “Kate and Meghan are still DEEPLY BEEFING” idea. If anything, Kate has never looked more comfortable in her position, and she seemed genuinely happy to be in the carriage with Meg. Now I kind of hope they both go to Wimbledon this year to see some matches.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, WENN.
Honestly every time they are in each other presence they seen genuinely happy or ok to be there. I saw footage and photos of then in the carriage and they didnt seem to care.
But AGAIN the beef has never been with them. It’s always been the brothers. I feel like they have a pretty ok relationship.
I agree, we’ve never had proof that the duchesses have ever had any trouble. I think the Kate crying because Meghan was mean story is one of those royal urban myths.
Royal Foibles said the crying incident was Kate being immediately post-partum and exhausted combined with wedding tensions running high, quickly followed by the two of them apologising profusely to each other which frankly, is much more believable in my mind.
Would the woman known to never ruffle feathers in the RF and the woman just about to enter the family really start something with each other?
Aw and Meg talking to little George is adorable. Kate and Harry have also always gotten along. I feel like Bill is the odd man out.
I don’t think the coworker idea is apt- I think they’re normal sisters in law. Not super close but get along at family events just fine
Yes, I agree. I also think now that Meghan & Harry’s baby is here that adds a whole new dimension of common ground to their relationship, as two moms.
ya, I am like that with my SIL. WE are not besties but enjoy hanging out at family functions. I think the Hat and Louis’ outfit were a nod to Harry and Meg and I think that, that is lovely. Women know how to get along despite what the media may tell us.
No one would care if brothers-in-law were or weren’t close, but women are always supposed to be besties or it’s a problem. It’s very sexist.
My SIL and I aren’t super close. When my BIL first starting dating her, it was fine, but when she moved to our town she tried to be besties with my friends and pushed me out. Even went so far as inviting my parents over for dinner, without my hubby and I. Weird. Anyways, the real problem lies with my BIL being jealous of my husband, and therefore the whole family started pitting us against each other. We have had one good fight to shake the myths, but she has trust issues, again, spilling over from what her husband has said about her (totally mean) to his entire family. Still, over fifteen years later, they won’t invite us to anything they have at their house. We try to move on. What can you do?
My in-laws often has dinners with most one of their boys and family. We have the over for supper sometimes with my hubbies grandparents and we don’t invite the siblings. The siblings do that as well. Nobody thinks it is weird. There are 11 grandkids in the mix though so dinner with everyone is an event.m that we only attempt on holidays and a bbq in the summer
I agree I wouldn’t call it co-workers either, just normal sister in law. They could end up real close in time. No one’s going to really understand what they go through but each other. I also think it’s normal for brothers to get into beefs too. Hopefully, they will work it out. At least William and Harry come from a close relationship. I think that gives them a leg up on fixing it. At first it may seem so disappointing to be arguing with someone close to you, but I think you are more likely to forgive that person too. Look Charles has never been close to his brothers, and Meghan’s relationships with her half siblings was never strong either so those feuds probably have more staying power.
As far as the women fighting, I think since a lot of these stories are from men it’s just the catfight fantasy a lot of men have. Crazy!!!!!
There’s no real reason for them not to get along. Why make your life unnecessarily difficult when it doesn’t need to be? When it comes to havigating their own lives, I think they’re both emotionally intelligent enough not create conflict where there doesn’t need to be any.
This. I’ve said they are both smart, pragmatic women who are happy with their lives. I think they have always gotten along fine. But the cat fight narrative is still irresistible for some media outlets.
I’m not convinced Kate is happy in her marriage, but she loves her babies to pieces, and that makes her happy….once the kids are grown and need her less though, I do wonder if their marriage would last. I think Kate may be a little sad that Megs and Harry are SO very happy…….tho something’s going on with the Royal Ginger….I haven’t seen him smile whilst on duty (with family and adults…he’s smiling for the children) in what seems like forever.
I’ve given up on William, somewhat. He just seems so immature….
Was there ever any indication beyond gossip and “sources” that the two women had any issues? Cause I never saw any.
No. They never remotely looked like they disliked each other.
I think people were hoping for a feud, but they both seem happy with the destinies they’ve gotten. And I don’t think there’s any real reason for them to be unhappy either, imo.
So this.
I think Kate was happy for not being the centre of the attention.
Exactly – if anything, Kate was probably happy to not be under the microscope for a change. For all of the Kate-bashing that happens here, she’s never struck me as a demanding diva who loves public attention. It’s why she and William always come across as reticent in their engagements – they are not extroverted people who enjoy the limelight. I think William enjoys power, yes, but not necessarily the public song-and-dance act the royals need to put on.
I think Kate likes the spotlight and attention, but on her terms. its why at some events (that are probably more her personal choice) she is more animated and interested.
I think William hates “the press” in general though.
I agree. I met Kate and Wills at a function abroad and she strucked me as someone who is not living for the attention. Granted, she was smiling, polite and attentive but I had a feeling she’d much rather be at home with her family than in the spotlight, esp when confronted with a large crowd. Much smaller and tinier in person than I expected.
Isn’t it odd how when you meet a celebrity in person how small they really are. I saw Sarah Paulsen a few months ago, and she was tiny. I’ve never thought of her as that slim, but she was very slim. It’s actually a bit scary to think how deluded our image of weight is nowadays.
Same here, they always seemed fine to me, and it was just tabloids looking to stir up sexist drama, because of course two women couldn’t get along!
No, I think its like what Kaiser said – the beef was always between the brothers, but its “sexier” to have a war between the duchesses.
Which was the narrative pushed here for months.
Maybe initially, but I feel for months now we have said that its between the brothers. Definitely since at least Christmas.
Agreed, especially after the awkward post-church bit, but prior to that it was very much “Kate vs Meghan” here almost every day.
William and Harry need to put on some boxing gloves and just get this sh*t out already.
@Enn…..oh, what a great idea!!
I really think it’s the baby thing. Meg having Archie gives them something in common and something to talk about. Kate seems to genuinely enjoy her children and being a mom, and I’ll bet she’s more than happy to talk to Meghan all about motherhood, pass on tips, etc.
I don’t think there was ever any dislike or animosity. I think people were just bored, wanting something salacious and combined that with the tendency to pit women against each other to form a fantasy that was more entertaining.
Yeah, I am on team “the issue has been the brothers.” At Wimbledon last year Kate and Meghan seemed to get along fine, and at Christmas it was clear that they were making a concerted effort to quell the feud rumors. I don’t think they are BFFs, nor will they ever be, but I think they get along fine.
I do think there is probably some rivalry between the two “houses” (I mean that’s pretty obvious) but I don’t think that equates to bad blood between the two women.
Yeah, their body language at Wimbledon was fine with no tension. If anything, Meghan was nervous and was looking for Kate to protect her.
And Wimbledon took place months after the alleged crygate story. So even if it did happen, they had gotten over it.
The smear campaign started in the Fall after the tour and pregnancy announcement. I believe that was when the story about Meghan making Kate cry was leaked too.
They both look quite happy to me. I would have assumed they were allies rather than rivals. Always nice to have someone who understands what it is like in the spotlight
Oh I’ll add, the only time I’ve seen them together where there appeared to be tension (keeping in mind of course that we have not seen that many joint appearances with the two women) was the church service before Meghan went on mat leave (where she wore the white nurse’s hat.) Kate looked super tense in those pictures, Meghan didn’t, but I wonder if that was more Kate trying to look somber for the occasion? William and Harry were there and they did appear tense.
OH also that appearance for Charles’s anniversary of being POW, with the queen. I got some tense vibes there too. But those were around the same time IIRC, and William and Harry were in attendance at both events, which could have let to any tension.
But people do have a tendency to see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe.
I doubt very much indeed that to two duchesses have much in common apart from royal husbands, given their totally different backgrounds, but I think they are quite capable of getting along together on whatever level is required.
Also, Kate could have been tense about anything. Meghan gave a genuine smile when Kate reached out to hug her.
For sure – she could have had a headache and not felt well, or been overly tired, etc. And I think often Kate looks more tense at public engagements with William than without. Or she could just not have been smiling. But those are the only two public engagements I can think of where something seemed “off.” but I don’t think that means there is a feud between the two.
omg….I just figured out that IIRC = if I recall correctly….I just was reading Becks1 comment, and instead of reading the letters….the words came to my mind and BOOM lightbulb moment….I think I need to go lie down now LOL
@SG hahaha that’s funny!! there are a few things that I have to google and once I realize what they are, it seems so obvious.
Kate could have had gas for all we know and that made her look tense. I mean, have you tried to silent a fart in church? There’s only so much you can blame on the pew.
I agree it’s been between the brothers. Meghan was as sweet as ever.
Harry looked uncharacteristically grumpy. I’m a little surprised. And honestly, I do think he was a bit curt with Meghan on the balcony – not in a way where he wasn’t right to tell her to look around but she reacted the same way I do when someone “barks” orders at me.
I don’t think it’s a big deal at all but I can see it. I expected him to be a little more happy, his gorgeous wife just had a gorgeous baby!
He will learn.
I’ve seen a doctored video of their interaction being spread around by the vile meg*it trolls on social media. I watched the entire unaltered video with sound, and it’s not as sinister as some people want it to seem. It honestly looked like she tried to hurry and turn around once the anthem started, as did several other people on the balcony and they all had stern faces.
I didn’t know about this. Is there a photo? Tell me more.
Maria, Harry seems to have mood swings. He had these even before he married Meghan but it wasn’t such a big deal because it was just him and he was part of the ‘trio’. Now it’s a problem because Meghan is there and bears the brunt of anything looking off. Harry needs to be aware of the optics, I really find him to be naive sometimes. That whole Trooping carriage drive he looked grumpy or sour, as if he didn’t want to be there and Meghan was doing all the smiling. Meghan will not be afforded the time to look grumpy, she will be dragged. Harry shoud do his part, it’s his grandma’s birthday why be sour? Also why make Meghan stand on the edge of the group while he talked with Eugenie and Jack which he did a long time. Meghan had to turn at an awkward angle to join the conversation. If she doesn’t turn, it looks like she is just there with no one to talk to and appears left out why not put her to his right, so she is close to others? Then when she turns he appears curt. It’s one thing being grumpy all trooping carriage drive and then make it worse by being curt.
Does anyone remember years ago when the Queen made William stand up when he kneeled down to talk/play with George? I remember that a lot of people called the Queen rude, but the royal family takes those balcony appearances seriously. Meghan didn’t look upset to me. I think some people are hoping that they are having problems. I’ve been married for 10 years, I can only imagine what people would think if they videod some of our discussions over the years.
They have a newborn. It’s possible Harry is exhausted and just wanted to be home in bed.
In the videos of the balcony, Harry looks fine. He has a resting b#tch face (I’m not wild about that term), plus he always looks happier away from his family.
Meg’s heavy and fast blinking seems to imply trying to control tears, I honestly thought so….
I agree. I didn’t want to believe it, but it does look that way. He looked pretty divaish that day.
She’s post partum, she very well may have been blinking back tears. My post partum I was an absolute mess and my PMS isn’t much better (example, I teared up at the Godzilla trailer with Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the background, so imagine post partum me!). Her breasts could be engorged, making most things a little painful and anything can set that off, especially around children! Or she’s still sore. Or they both didn’t get much sleep last night. She might even be a little homesick. Point is, it was a flash of time that in the long run probably isn’t going to affect a lot of things.
I have always though that both brothers are likely a lot to deal with. Think of how they grew up, spoilt, privileged and very sad and tragically. I always see Meghen as trying to comfort him and get him through some of these public events. Kate and her family have stabilized William a lot. They have been given a lot of money and access in their childhood but love and stability not so much.
Chrissyms, I agree – it must be tough for these royal women, these royal men are spoilt . You can be a wife to someone but not his mother. Just like people said Kate needed to look interested at engagements, same thing for Harry- put a smile on that face and appear interested on what’s going on. Why choose to be grumpy especially when Meghan is out on such a huge occassion first time after a long time? Harry can do better than this.
I’m going to bet that they’re both more tired than normal since the birth of the baby.
I don’t think it was some horrible interaction – but there was a blip of it that really looked like her face kind of fell. It kind of gave me a little pang of sadness. I think some of the blinking can be chalked up to looking up at the sky, and it being somewhat bright. But I do think there was a little moment of disappointment there. I don’t think he necessarily was super curt with her, but I don’t think it was a super warm interaction, either. I think maybe a brief moment of annoyance and not realizing how he might have come off.
Yep, I thought the same, she definitely looked like she was a bit annoyed at him for telling her what to do, which is so familiar, I went through quite a few such moments with my husband when my baby was just a newborn. She was probably fine shortly after that. I think it’s tiredness, hormones, maybe the pressure of being in public at this time, and isn’t indicative of any actual problems in their relationship.
It was never about the duchesses. Shocking concept.
I think that Meghan has brought out Katie Keen’s competitive side and is why she’s so suddenly keen to be seen but yeah I don’t think that means they are beefing. I don’t particularly have much in common with both of my SIL’s but it doesn’t mean I am at war with them.
I agree Kate seems a bit more relaxed now, she’s not standing around at engagements looking like a rabbit in headlights pressing her hands against her crotch any more. Progress has been made, even thou its only taken her about 8 years to get to this point.
Competitive side but still not willing to work more. The leaking of the Broken Britain project to the DM, three days before Meghan’s cookbook landed? That was no coincidence. Someone wanted to get the idea of big Kate project in the news before Meghan’s real, complete, not-another-keen-idea product landed.
@Nota – that’s the thing that makes me scratch my head. I think it seems pretty clear that Meghan and Kate get along fine, or at least well enough. But Harry and Will don’t. Is William the one pushing the “Kate who has never put a foot wrong” narrative and Kate isn’t aware of it? There have been enough things like that Broken Britain leak, etc. that make it clear there is something going on; maybe it is just as simple as Will being petty and jealous?
@Becks – Kate def knows what’s being written about her and will have a say in what her public image is. Since she’s had the kids she’s been trying to craft the image of the perfect, middle class SAHM who just happens to be a Duchess with pesky expectations to work by the family she married into and the people who she will one day serve. Kate is like William in that she wants the money, status and perks but does not want to sing for her supper. She has not taken on any more patronages and its already been put out there that she is going to be ‘selective’ on what engagements she does and for whom. Considering I could probably count all her patronages on one hand, she could do more for the ones she has if she’s not going to be taking on any additional ones in the foreseeable. Having 3 children has never stopped other women from working 40+ hours a week without the help of 3 nannies and a helicopter mother.
There is an arrogance coming from the Cambridge PR that’s basically saying that they should be treated like Gods simply because William will be King and she will be Queen Consort one day. They think thats enough for the press and the people to hold them above everyone else, regardless of what they do or do not do. They’re both very impressed with their status and think everyone else should be too.
@DU – those are good points, and I agree with them. I wonder if Kate (and Carole?) are more behind the super pro-Kate stories (the embiggening Kate movement, if you will, lol) and the negative Meghan stories are from another source? That could fit.
Also your last paragraph is spot on.
@Becks – Yeah I think Kate and Carole are jumping on the anti-Meghan train to embiggen Kate and that the negative Meghan stories are coming from William and other nasty old courtiers who need to retire. Both can be separate narratives driven by different camps.
They seemed fine in the carriage. I never expected them to be BFFs or braiding each other’s hair. They are SILs and members of the BRF. They get along.
OMG the mental image of Kate and Meghan being BFFs and braiding each others hair has me in stitches lol
There were video clips of them conversing in the carriage and they both seemed to be enjoying themselves. Harry and Kate were happily chatting on the walk up during Anzac day. The rift is clearly between the brothers.
Kate should befriend her since she seems to need some friends who won’t sleep with her husband.
Kate has friends.
Who, Rose??
ya, ain’t that the truth.
I feel like several commenters have been saying this all along?
The moment with George and his Aunt Meg on the balcony was sweet. Meghan has no non-dumpster fire siblings, so I do hope (and have always hoped) that the Cambridge and Sussex kids will be close. Nieces and nephews can be such a joy!
They are a sorority of two. No one else knows what it’s like to be under that electron microscope turned on them at all times. That more than anything else should make them allies if not friends. I think they could become really good friends if Wills jealousy doesn’t intervene. His pettiness puts Kate in a really awkward place, and she has very little power to assert. (Actually she has the same power Diana did—she’s the mother of the heir to the heir to the heir, but after her entire adult life catering to William, will she assert it?). I think Kate’s smart enough to realize that making an enemy of the Sussexes is catastrophically stupid both personally and practically, and she’s always seemed to really like Harry. I think both women understand that they will be pitted against each other because they know how “feuding women” stories sell. I hope for both of their sakes that they build a strong and lasting bond. Maybe they can even rewrite the narrative over time and become celebrated friends. (Then again, if they do develop a famous friendship, everyone will be looking for signs of trouble. Ugh. )
The may be a sorority of two, but that never stopped Diana from undermining Fergie and throwing her under the bus frequently.
True but I think the circumstances were different. Diana and Sarah were younger, and as bad as 80s tabloids were, social media’s an entirely different beast. And Sarah/Diana weren’t married to princes that public felt ownership over the way the public did Harry and William. With the Wales Princes, it seems as if some of the public fancied itself A collective “Mother in law” absent Diana. In light of all this, they are better off friends than enemies, and they have no reason to be enemies because their roles are set. I think both Kate and Meghan would find a high school style popularity contest insulting and demeaning. They both strike me as mature and not petty in that way. They’re grown ass women after all!
Kate and Meghan do not need to be friends. If they do not like each that’s fine too. They do not need to become allies either.
Wow, so quick everybody changes their minds🙄. People were still saying up until Saturday that Kate was behind the “smear campaign” on Meghan and now they have always said there was no beef? Sure, Jan.
Nah, it was Will behind it. He’s the one who has shown himself to be petty and jealous on many occasions, and the writer of the article in the Times put and out stated that Will was throwing her under the bus and weaponizing her father against her
That’s what I said after watching the video of Harry making her laugh at Easter, She obviously gets along with both of them so of course it’s just William behind the campaign.
@Lanne read the articles written before that and you’ll see the narrative change. Carole was blamed as well.
No quick turn around for me. Kate and Carol participated in the smearing. Not to the extent William did, but they jumped on the bandwagon too.
Sure Jan
Honestly I think its tricky. I think its clear that KP is behind a large part of the smear campaign and negative articles. But that doesn’t mean that its necessarily Kate. I don’t think she is completely ignorant of it, but maybe William is the driving force and Kate just shrugs? But I cant imagine, if Harry and Meghan think Kate is pushing bad stories about Meghan, that they would be so friendly and at ease around her. Maybe Harry has spoken to Will and they are fighting over it, but Kate isn’t a part of that?
This situation is weird. I don’t believe that every negative story about Meghan comes from KP, but I think some do. We saw the Sussexes clap back about the Africa story, stating that any plans would be made with Charles and the Queen, and the separation of their offices and the foundation, while expected, still seemed abrupt. Something is going on behind the scenes but who knows if we will ever find out.
But what proof do you have that KP is behind this? This is the only site that is convinced of that and frankly that is only because the anti-Kate bias here is so high.
@baba – because it makes sense? KP was certainly behind the story about them going to Africa, because of the Sussex response. And the smear campaign really kicked into gear around the time of the successful tour.
Anyway, no, this is not the only place that thinks KP is behind the smear campaign.
It’s KP behind the smear campaign. One of the RRs said KP had no issues with what was being written about Meghan and that was at the height of the smearing.
Not everyone here thinks Kate was behind the smear campaign. I think it was Carole and to some extent Kate and William. I think the congeniality doesn’t mean anything frankly. The couples can be friendly at gatherings but I don’t think there is any relationship beyond that.
I don’t agree folks thought Kate was behind the smear campaign…..most folks here thought it was something cooked up between Mother-in-the-Middleton and Duke Cambridge.
Uh….Kate and Meghan as friends doesn’t go with the media narrative about Meghan. The problem with Kate is that she has done things to help this narrative alone. Maybe she was caught up in the positive press at Meghan ‘s expense. Things changed after the article came out about Wil!iam throwing Meghan under the bus to protect his affair. Also when the Sussex’s moved from KP all the crazy leaks stop which was around the same time as the William article. Eventually the whole story will come out. IMO with Meghan out the media will focus on William and Rose because when it’s all said and done it comes down to Money. They can’t continue to write articles about Meghan when she isn’t in the public eye and Harry has Frogmore on lockdown….no leaks! Only thing left is Rose and by the looks of it Rose is ready to take this on!!
I bet Kate’s smile from cheek to cheek is because of baby talk! Nothing fake about that smile!
Kate made a statement at MM’s wedding. The Trooping dress she wore photographed as yellow unlike the dress she wore at the wedding. I guess they’re somewhat cordial but not close at all.
Frankly, Kate is a bad actress and I can tell her fake grinning. Iin the carriage ride with Meghan she was beaming like she truly enjoyed the conversation.
I’m happy that finally everyone came to the conclusion that while not BFF they do have some fun in each other company. The hat was a nice touch as well, very telling. I’d love to see them together. Anyone? They really look good together and supportive, they’re both new mums so a common cause/event would be just amazing.
Why do people always try to give the idea that these 2 are at war?
It sells magazines.
I call BS on all of it.
The BRF live exceedingly well. Far, far above what the “average” person can imagine.
The best of everything, including excellent health care.
IRL, they each have young kids and just do what “typical” people do with In-Laws….smile politely and get along until you can go home.
yeah but I think they genuinely like chatting about kids
Any lipreaders here? They were talking non-stop in the carriage – or at least Meghan was in the video I saw.
Maybe they’re just saying “peas and carrots peas and carrots” like actors do when they want to fake a conversation away from the central action of the story? That could be a fun joke between them, esp. as tabloids now go so far as to employ lip readers and body language experts.
Kate’s outfits are super hit or miss to me, but I LOVE this look on her, she looks A+++
Definitely no beef between the Duchesses
Also always here for pics of the kids, they are all too cute!
Co-workers! Everyone has had to make small talk with people they don’t vibe with for the sake of their jobs same with this situation.