Inside Princess Kate and Meghan Markle’s Relationship — In Their Own Words

When Meghan Markle officially became part of the British royal family, there was plenty of optimism about what the future might hold.

Her marriage to Prince Harry was widely celebrated, with many believing that he had finally found his ideal partner. Meghan also appeared to have a natural ally in Princess Kate. Like Meghan, Kate had entered the royal family from outside the institution and had experienced the challenges of adapting to royal life. It seemed that she could offer Meghan valuable advice and help her understand how everything worked behind the scenes.

For a while, the relationship between the two couples appeared particularly promising. Prince William, Kate, Harry and Meghan were soon described by the media as the “Fab Four”, creating the impression that they represented a new generation of the monarchy. Their public appearances together generated considerable interest, and there were hopes that the four would become a strong and united team.

However, that vision did not last for long.

Less than two years after Harry and Meghan’s wedding, the couple announced that they would step back from their positions as senior working royals. They eventually left Britain, initially moving to Canada before settling in Montecito, California.

Their departure was followed by a number of public comments and criticisms about life within the royal family and the institution itself. As Harry and Meghan increasingly spoke about their experiences, their relationship with several members of the royal family became increasingly distant.

Now that Harry and Meghan have been spending more time in Britain, speculation has once again emerged about whether the family could eventually rebuild its relationships. Much of the attention has focused on the possibility of William and Harry repairing their relationship, as well as whether Kate and Meghan could one day reconnect.

But what have Kate and Meghan themselves actually said about one another over the years?

What Kate Has Said About Meghan

Princess Kate has generally maintained a reserved public image, particularly since tensions developed between the Sussexes and other members of the royal family. Her approach has often been compared with the late Queen Elizabeth II’s famous philosophy of “never complain, never explain.”

Before the relationship between the two families became strained, however, Kate spoke positively about Meghan on several occasions.

When Harry and Meghan announced their engagement in November 2017, William and Kate publicly welcomed the news. In a joint statement, they expressed their happiness for the couple and said that it had been wonderful getting to know Meghan and seeing how happy she and Harry were together.

Kate also spoke to reporters separately about the engagement, describing it as extremely exciting news. She and William, she explained, were delighted for Harry and Meghan and wished them every happiness as they began their married life together.

The following year brought another important announcement: Meghan was expecting her first child with Harry.

During a visit to Leicester in November 2018, Kate was asked how she felt about the pregnancy. Her response was enthusiastic. She said she was “absolutely” excited about the news and described having young children as a particularly special experience.

Kate also pointed out that the new baby would become a cousin to her own children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. She suggested that having another child within the family would make the occasion especially meaningful for all of them.

At the time, the two women were also seen together at a number of public events. One memorable appearance came at Wimbledon in July 2018, just a few months after Harry and Meghan’s wedding. Their presence together attracted considerable media attention and appeared to reflect the positive relationship that many people hoped would develop between them.

Kate also responded warmly when Harry and Meghan welcomed their second child, Lilibet, in June 2021.

A statement from Buckingham Palace said that Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Camilla, and William and Kate had been informed of the birth and were delighted by the arrival of a baby girl.

William and Kate later shared their own public congratulations on social media. They described themselves as delighted by the arrival of Lili and sent their congratulations to Harry, Meghan and their first child, Archie.

Only a few days after Lilibet was born, Kate was asked about her new niece during an engagement with then-First Lady Jill Biden.

When asked whether she had any wishes for the newborn, Kate offered a warm response. She wished Lilibet all the best and said she was looking forward to meeting her. At that point, Kate explained, she had not yet had the opportunity to meet the baby but hoped that would happen soon.

What Meghan Has Said About Kate

Meghan’s comments about Kate go back to a time before she had even met her in person.

While writing for her former lifestyle website, The Tig, Meghan discussed the public fascination with the British monarchy. She observed that many adults seemed to hold on to childhood fantasies about royalty, pointing to the enormous attention surrounding royal weddings and the constant public interest in Princess Kate.

Her next significant public reference to Kate came during the engagement interview Meghan and Harry gave after announcing their plans to marry.

By then, Meghan had already begun entering royal circles and was becoming increasingly familiar with Harry’s family. Her comments about Kate during this period attracted attention because the two women would eventually become connected not only through marriage but also through their positions within the royal family.

Initially, expectations surrounding their relationship were largely positive. Meghan had married into the same family that Kate had joined years earlier, and both women were highly visible members of the younger generation of the monarchy.

Their early public appearances together seemed to reinforce the idea that they could become close relatives and perhaps even friends. The image of the two couples standing together suggested a modern and united royal family.

However, events that followed would dramatically change that perception.

The relationship between Harry and Meghan and the wider royal family became increasingly complicated, particularly after the couple decided to step away from royal duties. Their move overseas and subsequent interviews brought private family tensions into the public spotlight.

As a result, the once-promising image of the “Fab Four” gradually disappeared.

Despite the years of speculation surrounding Kate and Meghan, both women have generally made relatively few direct public comments about their personal relationship. Much of what the public believes about their interactions has therefore come from interviews, official statements, biographies and media reports rather than detailed accounts from either woman.

Their relationship remains one of the most closely watched aspects of the modern British royal family. Whether the distance between them can eventually be overcome remains uncertain, but their earlier comments show that their relationship did not begin with hostility. In the beginning, there were genuine expressions of excitement, support and optimism about becoming part of the same extended family.