Does anyone else genuinely hate the way certain media outlets remain desperate to push the idea that Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are locked in a continuous bitter feud?
The warring duchesses narrative isn’t just dull, it is also used to push the tiresome idea that Meghan is a trouble-stirrer at the palace; somehow more spoiled and entitled than the people who grew up surrounded by jewels and tiaras.
As sisters-in-law and members of the most famous families on the planet, Kate and Meghan have been thrown together in a pretty specific and surreal situation, with their roles as trend-setting duchesses sharing many parallels.
They can no doubt relate to each other’s lives in the spotlight, but that does not necessarily mean they are similar people. A former professional actor and outspoken humanitarian, Meghan has a more confident and open public persona than Kate, who often appears a little more reserved in interviews.
Although, of course, how much do we really know about these women as three dimensional individuals? For all we know they could enjoy each other’s company enormously, sharing a regular chuckle at the soap opera lens through which their alleged disagreements are viewed.
Whatever the reality of their relationship may be, I very much doubt these two busy adult women waste much time bickering during afternoon teas and polo matches as some would have you believe.
In fact, it would appear Meghan held Kate in high regard long before she herself joined the royal family, writing about her with admiration in her now defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig.
In a blog post obtained by Glamour, Meghan – then just an ‘ordinary’ TV star – spoke about her desire to be a princess, using Kate as an admiring example:
Little girls dream of being princesses. I, for one, was all about She-Ra, Princess of Power.
For those of you unfamiliar with the ’80s cartoon reference, She-Ra is the twin sister of He-Man, and a sword-wielding royal rebel known for her strength. We’re definitely not talking about Cinderella here.
[…] Grown women seem to retain this childhood fantasy. Just look at the pomp and circumstance surrounding the royal wedding and endless conversation about Princess Kate.
This throwback blog post re-emerges not long after it was revealed Meghan wanted to celebrate the upcoming birth of her first born child privately before sharing pictures with the press.
All power to her. I never liked the expectation that Kate should stand and smile for photographers in a pretty dress and make-up mere hours after giving birth.
Hopefully Meghan will get a little time to rest in her PJs before facing the spotlight, as well as some sisterly support from Kate herself.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.