Kensington Palace is refuting an article about Kate Middleton published in the U.K. magazine Tatler. The piece details the Duchess's new post-Megxit life, which reportedly includes increased duties. It also supports the frequent rumours that there was tension between Middleton and Meghan Markle, citing an incident at Markle's wedding rehearsal and her and husband Prince William's reaction to Markle and Prince Harry's decision to step back from their duties as senior royals. In a statement, per Entertainment Tonight, Kensington Palace dismissed the story as containing "a swathe of inaccuracies and false misrepresentations which were not put to Kensington Palace prior to publication," but Tatler is standing by its reporting.
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"Tatler's Editor-in-Chief Richard Dennen stands behind the reporting of Anna Pasternak and her sources," a spokesperson said in a statement to Refinery29. "Kensington Palace knew we were running the 'Catherine the Great' cover months ago and we asked them to work together on it. The fact they are denying they ever knew is categorically false."
In the piece, a source told the outlet that Middleton never "pulled Meghan under her wing and said, 'I’ll show you the ropes.'"
"Catherine and William were very circumspect from the beginning about Meghan, which hurt and incensed Harry," the source continued. "William rightly cautioned Harry to slow the relationship down. That’s why they all fell out. As the rift got deeper between the brothers, Kate, who used to be so close to Harry, tried to pacify things. But her loyalty will always be to William."
Another source recalled a tense moment at Markle's wedding rehearsal.
"It was a hot day and apparently there was a row over whether the bridesmaids should wear tights or not," the source explained. "Kate, following protocol, felt that they should. Meghan didn’t want them to." In the end, it appears Markle prevailed.
However, Markle's exit from royal life appears to be as frustrating for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as her reported assimilation.
"William is absolutely incandescent about Megxit," a courtier told Tatler. "Every time the Sussexes issue a statement, it hits everyone like a fresh bombshell. The Cambridges are left reeling like everyone else. Everyone is terribly worried about how this is affecting the Queen."
As for Middleton, the pair's retreat has left her with a "larger workload" that's left her feeling "exhausted and trapped."
Sounds like something Meghan Markle could relate to.