Kate Middleton Once Did the Unexpected to Avoid Drama and Defuse Tension with an ‘Upset’ Meghan Markle

The 2020 Commonwealth Day Service was intended to be Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's final engagement as senior royals. The royal family was experiencing a split among them at the time. As a result of the internal conflict, the stage became fraught with tension. Kate Middleton reportedly made a compassionate gesture to ease the situation amidst this backdrop. Trouble began when the Sussexes learned that they would not be able to attend the main VIP party with Queen Elizabeth II and the other senior royals. This news didn't sit well with them. They "became emotional and upset" upon hearing they'd have to wait separately with the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

The atmosphere was very tense and it was visible to the people around. Prince William and Middleton offered to wait with Harry and Markle in an attempt to smooth things over. This last-minute change aimed to present a united front. The printed order of service complicated matters later. It clearly stated William and Middleton would arrive with the main group. Royal author Tom Bower shed light on the situation in his book, Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors. He wrote: "A monumental argument blew up after Harry was told that he and Meghan could not join the family's procession through Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day Service," as per The Mirror. 

Bower continued and explained the perceived slight: "Although the order of service listed Harry and Meghan walking behind the Queen, Palace officials had revised their decision. Suspicious about the Sussexes they decided to publicly humiliate them," as per The News. The couples' interactions that day were noticeably strained. Gone was the warmth of the previous year when Markle and Middleton had greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek. Their exchange was brief and uncomfortable this time. William and Harry's interaction appeared equally reserved.

Bower noted, "Eventually, to end the dispute, William and Kate agreed they too would wait with Harry and Meghan. As the members of the Royal Family filed into the Abbey, the frayed relationships could not be concealed. Kate had blanked the Sussexes and William's greeting was cold. Harry looked strained. Meghan's face showed bemusement." The contrast with the previous year's service was stark. Harry and Markle had announced their intention to step back from royal duties earlier that year. Their decision had sent shockwaves through the monarchy and the public alike.

Bower's account suggests deeper issues at play. He wrote: "Harry was told that having stepped down from royal duties, he and Meghan would sit and wait with the congregation. The prospect of the televised image of their isolation in the Abbey appalled them. By then they were keenly aware of Kate and William's antagonism. William had not offered a brotherly welcome and Kate was outright distant towards her sister-in-law."