Here Are the 6 Most Shocking Royal Family Feuds in History

6 Shocking Royal Rumbles in History

The Royal family is known for its elegance and tradition, but behind the scenes, there have been some truly shocking feuds that have captured the public’s attention. These feuds highlight the intricacies and pressure faced by members of the royal family. While they may project an image of unity and tradition, behind palace walls, emotions run deep, and conflicts can have lasting effects on relationships. The royal family's ability to navigate these challenges while maintaining their public roles is a testament to their resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.

1. Princess Diana and Queen Camilla

One of the most notorious feuds in royal history revolves around Princess Diana and Queen Camilla. Charles' affair with his current wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles whilst married to Diana made headlines, shocking folks worldwide. As per archived recordings, Diana confronted Camilla about the affair and asked to sit down with her. Camilla reportedly obliged but denied the affair. Diana admitted being 'terrified' of Camilla but also furious at the denial. “I do know what is going on. Don’t treat me like an idiot,” the late Princess asserted in the recordings.

2. Princess Diana and King Charles

The fallout from Charles’ affair with Camilla deeply affected his relationship with Princess Diana. Reports and biographies have suggested that their marriage was fraught with difficulties, and Diana felt betrayed and hurt by Charles' actions, leading to a significant rift between them. As per royal correspondent Robert Jobson, “He would try to talk to her about his work commitments and what kind of day he’d just had — and Diana would stare back at him blankly.” According to Marie Claire, Charles revealed to his friends, “I desperately wanted to get out of the wedding in 1981 when during the engagement I discovered just how awful the prospects were, having had no chance to get to know Diana beforehand…To have withdrawn, as you can no doubt imagine, would have been cataclysmic. Hence I was permanently between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

3. Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Camilla

Even Queen Elizabeth II was not immune to family drama. Biographies and accounts have claimed that the Queen expressed her disapproval of Camilla, referring to her as a 'wicked woman' after a few drinks. Author Tom Bower wrote, “But on that evening she’d had several martinis, and to Charles’s surprise she replied forcefully: she would not condone his adultery, nor forgive Camilla for not leaving Charles alone to allow his marriage to recover.” Insiders revealed, "The queen and her advisers, her courtiers, her private secretary – they all believed that Prince Charles should give up Camilla. He could love her, but he needed to leave her. And that’s because they felt she was damaging to the monarchy, which she was. There’s no question about that," as reported by US Weekly.

4. Princess Kate and Meghan Markle

The arrival of Meghan Markle into the royal family brought its own set of challenges. Reports surfaced of tensions between Markle and her sister-in-law, Princess Kate Middleton. An insider revealed, “[The queen] reached her limit with all the drama...She desperately wanted Meghan and Kate to make up and she got her wish! Being under the same roof meant that they couldn’t avoid each other.” However, Markle explained, “The narrative with Kate, it didn’t happen. A few days before the wedding she was upset about flower girl dresses and it made me cry. It hurt my feelings...What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didn’t do but that happened to me. Everyone in the institution knew it wasn’t true....”

5. Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate

Camilla's desire for public acceptance clashed with the attention given to Prince William and Middleton. Allegations arose that Camilla tried to influence William to end his relationship with Kate before their marriage. Public perception added strain to their relationship. An insider revealed that she was “disgusted with William and Kate sucking up all the attention." However, another insider close to William revealed, “None of his conclusions or insights into the Royals has credibility. Wills and Charles have remained close and Camilla is a supportive stepmother.”

6. Prince William and Prince Harry

Reports of a rift between Prince Harry and William made headlines leading to public scrutiny and speculation. Their relationship was tested further by Harry and Markle's decision to step back from royal duties, causing tensions and hurt feelings within the family. Filmmaker Nick Bullen said, “All brothers fall out. All families fall out. Their fallout at the moment is becoming public. I think people don’t want to think about that with these two boys. These are two boys who lost their mother [Princess Diana] at an early age, and the fairytale is that they are closer than ever and need each other, and I think that’s probably true. But equally, they are two grown men in their 30s, starting their own families...They are moving to different parts of the country, different duties.” Furthermore, an insider added, "[William] doesn’t know who [Harry] is anymore and the trust between them is strained…They’ll never recover from the damage that has been done.”