Even if you’re only a casual follower of royal gossip, you’re probably aware of the seemingly never-ending feud between Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.
Theories abound as to what caused the rift, but everyone seems to agree that these two have not gotten along for quite some time.
Some say Kate was not a fan of Meghan’s from the very start of her relationship with Harry.
Others point to specific incidents that may have snowballed into long-lasting hostilities, such as the argument over what Princess Charlotte would wear to Meghan’s wedding.
Insiders claim that Kate insisted her daughter wear wool tights for the sake of propriety.
According to this version of events, Meghan noticed that the girl was uncomfortable and encouraged Kate to lighten up — advice that was apparently not well-received.
Kate supporters have long questioned the authenticity of this story, with many suggesting that it was invented by fans of Meghan’s in order to make the Duchess of Sussex look like the sympathetic party.
Obviously, there’s more to this rivalry than a single argument that led both women to permanently sever ties with one another.
Still, Kate fans will probably be pleased by a new account which tells of a different blow-out fight — one for which Meghan was allegedly to blame.
The story comes to us courtesy of the forthcoming book Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir From Queen Mary To Meghan Markle, by Tom Quinn.
As the title indicates, the book focuses on the lives of those who have called Kensington Palace home, a varied group that includes both Kate and Meghan.
Sure to attract the most attention during the book’s promotional stage is the portion that focuses on Meghan and Kate’s brief time living under the same roof (but in separate apartments, of course).
Sources who spoke with Quinn say there was a marked difference in the way in which the two women interacted with the palace’s staff.
“Kate is actually one of the nicest royals, and she hasn’t let life in her extremely grand apartment at Kensington go to her head—or at least not too much,” one palace insider said.
“She is nice to her staff, in the main, and she was very warm towards Meghan when she arrived.”
Meghan and Harry eventually relocated to Frogmore Cottage, a move that apparently resulted in further friction.
“I think she has found that difficult to deal with,” the insider continued.
“And although Harry loved their cottage in the grounds, Meghan was conscious that it was tiny in comparison to the vast apartment complex where Kate and William live.”
According to the source, the tension between the two couples came to a head with an incident in which Meghan berated Kate’s personal staff.
“Kate was horrified when Meghan shouted at a member of Kate’s staff—that was definitely the beginning of discussions about leaving Kensington Palace,” the former servant explained.
“Like many people not used to dealing with servants, Meghan overdoes the imperiousness; so on the one hand she wants to be like Diana, a people’s princess, and on the other she wants people to stand to attention when she clicks her fingers.”
The insider notes that Meghan did not receive the years of training and preparation which Kate benefited from, and she therefore might have overcompensated in order to establish authority with certain staffers.
“There are the more reactionary elements in the Royal Family who do look down on her, and she knows it,” the source said.
“This makes her overreact sometimes—she doesn’t have Kate’s assured way of dealing with people.”
Whatever the case, this new information is unlikely to convince anyone to change sides in the long battle between Kate and Meghan’s fan bases.
And it’s certainly not going to bring the two women at the center of all this any closer to burying the hatchet.
But regardless of whether or not they serve any sort of purpose, you can bet that reports about what caused this feud will continue to surface every three months or so.
Apparently, it’s what the people want.
