MEGHAN Markle knew Kate Middleton was “powerless to fight back” after claiming the Duchess of Cambridge made her cry, it has been reported.
A royal source said the claims made by the Duchess of Sussex during her bombshell Oprah interview have worsened the divide between the Sussexes and the Cambridges – particularly between Meghan and Prince William.
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A senior royal insider told the MailOnline: “Much has been made of the troubles between Kate and Meghan, and William and Harry – but perhaps the biggest strains now exist between William and Meghan.
“First and foremost, William cannot countenance the way Meghan has treated his wife. He feels Kate tried at the beginning, but it was never enough.
“Kate attempted to try and help Meghan understand the responsibilities of royal life, but her efforts were constantly misinterpreted.”
The source added: “But to name Kate so publicly during the Oprah interview as the person who made her cry was beyond the pale. Meghan would have been acutely aware that Kate is powerless to fight back.
“Despite her growing confidence in public, Kate is a deeply sensitive woman who likes to stay behind-the-scenes as much as possible to support her family and the country. William thinks the way she has been treated is unfair.”
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In November 2018, it was reported that “Meghan left Kate in tears” over her demands for Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaids dress during a “stressful” fitting.
It was then subsequently claimed that the “rift” began when Kate said the bridesmaids should follow royal protocol by wearing tights which Meghan disagreed with.
But speaking during her bombshell interview with Oprah last month, Meghan said she was the one left in tears, not the other way around.
Asked if she made Kate cry, Meghan told Oprah: “The reverse happened.
“A few days before the wedding she was upset about something, pertaining to … the flower girl dresses, and it made me cry. And it really hurt my feelings.
“There wasn’t a confrontation and I don’t think it’s fair to her to get into the details of that because she apologised, and I have forgiven her. What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didn’t do, but that happened to me.
“I’m not sharing that piece about Kate in any way to be disparaging to her.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were said to be left deeply saddened after the interview, in which Prince Harry said Wills was “trapped” in the Firm, while revealing “conversations” with a member of the Royal Family around the colour of his unborn child’s skin.
Kate has not spoken publicly about the interview once.
But sources suggest William had been weary of his brother’s wife for some time.
Another senior royal source told the Mail: “William soon began to wonder about some of Meghan’s traits and motivations.
“He was worried that at times she seemed to be more concerned about her personal progression or profile over the wider goals and aims of the Royal Family.
“But he largely kept any reservations to himself as he desperately wanted her to be happy and appreciated the huge adjustment of entering the Royal Family.
“Following Megxit though, everything changed. He could no longer hide his true feelings because he felt like she had publicly attempted to disrespect his family and the Queen.”
William and Harry recently reunited for two hours after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral — sparking hopes of peace between them.
It has since been claimed, however, that Harry could pull out of a planned return to the UK this summer – after he was “shocked” by the frosty reception he received at Prince Philip’s funeral.
The Celeb Report Online has approached representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
