How Kate Middleton Got a 'Taste' of Meghan Markle's Challenging Royal Family Journey

Past events surrounding Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, ignited discussions about the parallels between her experiences and those of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, during their time within the Royal Family. Earlier this year, social media was flooded with speculation about Middleton’s whereabouts following her abdominal surgery. The announcement of her surgery led to questions about her health and recovery, with Kensington Palace eventually releasing an image of her with her three children to cease any rumors.

However, this move backfired when it was revealed that the image had been photoshopped, leading to a global backlash and further scrutiny, along with the revelation that Middleton had cancer. Royal expert Tom Quinn shared at the time, “Kate Middleton is definitely getting a taste of what Meghan Markle had to put up with when she first joined the Royal family."

Markle struggled with intense media attention when she first became a part of royalty. An insider shared, "It’s just been frustrating and stressful to have no voice. She’s always relied on her own voice to stand up for others and for herself. So not being able to say anything is a debilitating feeling. She’s always been so independent, her entire life, and that’s all been taken away from her. She’s always been able to clap back on social media and now she can’t," as reported by Mirror.

Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to step back from their senior roles within the royal family in 2020 showcased their challenges while fulfilling their royal duties. The rift within the royal family, emphasized by Prince Harry’s visit to the UK without meeting his brother Prince William, and sister-in-law Middleton, underscored the ongoing tensions between them. A source revealed, "They are aware of everything that goes on back in England but are being left out of any details regarding Kate. There is clearly no trust."

Another family source added, "It would be the normal run of things to go and see your sister-in-law who's had a serious operation and your niece and nephews. But it isn't normal. It's terribly sad." Royal author Robert Lacey asserted, "This is all to do with William's wish to protect the institution of the monarchy, which he feels Harry can't be trusted with. I don't think William will ever agree to readmission of Harry into the family unless he clearly apologizes and moves forward."

Amid the family drama, Prince Harry visited his father after the unfortunate news of his cancer diagnosis. In an interview, Prince Harry exclaimed, "Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that. I have my own family, as we all do. My family and my life in California is as it is. I've got other trips planned that would take me through the U.K. or back to the U.K., so I'll stop in and see my family as much as I can."

As per a report by People, royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith shared, "This is a slimmed-down monarchy in the ways the King could never have anticipated. This puts into much sharper focus what a terrible mistake it was for Harry to leave. If he and Meghan had stayed in Britain and stuck with their jobs, they could be very vital players right now."

This article was originally published on 03.22.24.