Meghan & Kate Attended Wimbledon But Tabloids Only Cared About Their “Feud”

For the second year in a row, Duchesses Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle both attended Wimbledon, along with Kate’s sister, Pippa. Though they didn’t spend the whole tournament side by side, Kate and Meghan made sure they were together for the final match between Serena Williams and Romanian player Simona Halep. Fans of the royals have a lot to talk about: paparazzi photos show Meghan and Kate laughing and enjoying the sunshine. But many outlets (specifically, British tabloids) have only shown an interest in discussing the so-called “feud” between the sisters-in-law, with The Sun even arguing that Kate and Meghan were “urged” to attend Wimbledon together for optics. Other publications suggested that Wimbledon was a signifier of the feud’s end (“Kate and Meghan to END royal rift claims as they are reunited at Wimbledon this year?” The Daily Express asked in a headline.)

Tabloids, largely the British variety, started pushing a rumored royal feud long before Meghan joined the family — hell, even before Meghan and Kate met. The rumors flared up again early this year when Prince Harry and Meghan split courts from Prince William and Kate.

We all know how much the tabloids love pitting women against one another, and Meghan and Kate are prime targets for these kinds of rumors. Not only are they two of the most famous women in the world, but they come from markedly different backgrounds, have their own unique takes on tradition and style, and have handled their royal status on their own terms.

As far as we know, there isn’t merit to any of the talk of a feud. Just before Wimbledon, the duo attended Harry’s charity polo match, and Kate was, of course, present at baby Archie’s christening. They even allegedly have a royal group text. After Harry and Meghan decided to split courts, The Sun wrote that it wasn’t a professional decision on the prince’s end, but a result of Meghan mistreating a member of Kate’s staff. In a rare move, a Kensington Palace spokesperson responded to the tabloid’s claim, saying that “this never happened.”

Kate and Meghan do, however, have a special shared history as far as Wimbledon is concerned. Last year’s tournament was their first public outing together, and this was their first public outing that included Pippa.

Williams is an old friend of Meghan’s, and though she lost to Halep, she told reporters at the post-game press conference that Meghan, a fan of the sport, had a great time. “She too is happy for Simona,” Williams said. “She saw that she played unbelievably, and that’s just the kind of person she is...She’s such a great friend, and a great person as well. And always positive, no matter what.”